Covey - The 7 habits of highly effective people
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"Sharpen the Saw" basically means expressing all four motivations. It means exercising<br />
all four dimensions <strong>of</strong> our nature, regularly and consistently, in wise and balanced ways.<br />
To do this, we must be proactive. Taking time to sharpen the saw is a definite Quadrant II<br />
activity, and Quadrant II must be acted on. Quadrant I, because <strong>of</strong> its urgency, acts on us;<br />
it presses upon us constantly. Personal PC must be pressed upon until it becomes second<br />
nature, until it becomes a kind <strong>of</strong> healthy addiction. Because it's at the center <strong>of</strong> our Circle<br />
<strong>of</strong> Influence, no one else can do it for us. We must do it for ourselves.<br />
This is the single most powerful investment we can ever make in life -- investment in<br />
ourselves, in the only instrument we have with which to deal with life and to contribute.<br />
We are the instruments <strong>of</strong> our own performance, and to be <strong>effective</strong>, we need to<br />
recognize the importance <strong>of</strong> taking time regularly to sharpen the saw in all four ways.<br />
<strong>The</strong> Physical Dimension<br />
<strong>The</strong> physical dimension involves caring <strong>effective</strong>ly for our physical body -- eating the<br />
right kinds <strong>of</strong> foods, getting sufficient rest and relaxation, and exercising on a regular<br />
basis.<br />
Exercise is one <strong>of</strong> those Quadrant II, high-leverage activities that most <strong>of</strong> us don't do<br />
consistently because it isn't urgent. And because we don't do it, sooner or later we find<br />
ourselves in Quadrant I, dealing with the health problems and crises that come as a<br />
natural result <strong>of</strong> our neglect.<br />
Most <strong>of</strong> us think we don't have enough time to exercise. What a distorted paradigm! We<br />
don't have time not to. We're talking about three to six hours a week -- or a minimum <strong>of</strong><br />
thirty minutes a day, every other day. That hardly seems an inordinate amount <strong>of</strong> time<br />
considering the tremendous benefits in terms <strong>of</strong> the impact on the other 162-165 hours <strong>of</strong><br />
the week.<br />
And you don't need any special equipment to do it. If you want to go to a gym or a spa to<br />
use the equipment or enjoy some skill sports such as tennis or racquetball, that's an<br />
added opportunity. But it isn't necessary to sharpen the saw.<br />
A good exercise program is one that you can do in your own home and one that will<br />
build your body in three areas: endurance, flexibility, and strength.<br />
Endurance comes from aerobic exercise, from cardiovascular efficiency -- the ability <strong>of</strong><br />
your heart to pump blood through your body.<br />
Although the heart is a muscle, it cannot be exercised directly. It can only be exercised<br />
through the large muscle groups, particularly the leg muscles. That's why exercises like<br />
rapid walking, running, biking, swimming, cross-country skiing, and jogging are so<br />
beneficial.<br />
You are considered minimally fit if you can increase your heart rate to at least 100 beats<br />
per minute and keep it at that level for 30 minutes.<br />
Ideally you should try to raise your heart rate to at least 60 percent <strong>of</strong> your maximum<br />
pulse rate, the top speed your heart can beat and still pump blood through your body.<br />
Your maximum heart rate is generally accepted to be 220 less your age. So, if you are 40,<br />
you should aim for an exercise heart rate <strong>of</strong> 108 (220 - 40 = 180 x .6 = 108). <strong>The</strong> "training<br />
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