Stephen R. Covey (1932–2012) was an American educator, author, businessman and speaker, best known for The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (1989). The book has sold more than 65 million copies, and in 1996 Time magazine named him one of the 25 most influential Americans, according to Wikipedia.
Who was Stephen Covey?
Stephen Richards Covey was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on 24 October 1932, according to Wikipedia. A hip condition in junior high school turned him from sport towards academics and debate. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Utah, an MBA from Harvard Business School and a Doctor of Religious Education from Brigham Young University, and later received ten honorary doctorates.
He taught at Brigham Young University’s Marriott School of Management, and later held the Huntsman Presidential Chair at Utah State University’s Jon M. Huntsman School of Business, according to Wikipedia. His doctoral study of American self-help books, and the influence of Peter Drucker and Carl Rogers, shaped his thinking.
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People was published in 1989, according to Wikipedia. Other books include Principle-Centered Leadership (1989), First Things First (1994), The 8th Habit (2004) and The Leader in Me (2008). FranklinCovey describes him as its co-founder. His honours included Time’s 25 most influential Americans of 1996 and the 2003 Fatherhood Award.
Covey and his wife Sandra had nine children, according to Wikipedia. In April 2012 he was injured in a bicycle accident in Provo, Utah, and he died of complications on 16 July 2012, aged 79. His son Sean Covey now leads FranklinCovey Education.
The 7 Habits in brief
- Be proactive. You choose your response.
- Begin with the end in mind. Know where you are going.
- Put first things first. Schedule your priorities.
- Think win–win. Seek mutual benefit.
- Seek first to understand. Listen with empathy.
- Synergize. Combine strengths.
- Sharpen the saw. Renew yourself.
At a glance
Born: 24 October 1932, Salt Lake City
Died: 16 July 2012, Idaho Falls
Education: MBA, Harvard; DRE, BYU
Best-known book: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (1989)
Copies sold: More than 65 million
Website: FranklinCovey.com
Good fit if
You want a principle-based framework for effectiveness at work and at home, with a focus on character, relationships and long-term priorities.
Our take
One of the most influential personal development books ever written. The time management matrix and “begin with the end in mind” are practical starting points.
Stephen Covey’s key ideas
Covey’s teaching centred on character, principles and the 7 Habits. Tap a card to read more.
The 7 Habits
Covey presented the habits as a progression: the first three lead from dependence to independence, the next three to interdependence, and the seventh maintains the others, according to Wikipedia.
| Habit | What it means |
|---|---|
| 1. Be proactive | Take responsibility for how you respond, and focus on your Circle of Influence rather than your Circle of Concern. |
| 2. Begin with the end in mind | Picture what you want, for example in a personal mission statement, then plan towards it. All things are created twice: first in the mind, then in reality. |
| 3. Put first things first | Give priority to what is important, especially important but not urgent tasks. |
| 4. Think win–win | Look for agreements that benefit everyone involved. |
| 5. Seek first to understand, then to be understood | Listen with empathy before you try to persuade. |
| 6. Synergize | Combine people’s strengths to achieve what no one could alone. |
| 7. Sharpen the saw | Renew yourself physically, mentally and spiritually. |
The book has sold more than 65 million copies since 1989, and its audio version was the first non-fiction audiobook in US publishing history to sell more than one million copies, according to Wikipedia.
The time management matrix
Habit 3 sorts tasks into four quadrants: urgent and important; not urgent but important; urgent but not important; and neither, according to Wikipedia. Covey argued that effective people spend most of their time in Quadrant II, on important but not urgent work such as planning, relationships and long-term development. “The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities”, according to Wikiquote.
Brian Tracy listed Covey among the time-management writers he had studied, according to Eat That Frog!. Compare our guides to the ABCDE method, Eat That Frog and time blocking.
Character ethic
Covey argued against what he called the “personality ethic” of many self-help books, techniques for appearing successful, and for a “character ethic” of aligning your values with timeless principles, according to Wikipedia. He separated principles, which he saw as external natural laws, from values, which are internal: values govern behaviour, but principles determine the consequences.
Management and leadership
“Management is efficiency in climbing the ladder of success; leadership determines whether the ladder is leaning against the right wall”, according to Wikiquote. Covey was heavily influenced by Peter Drucker and Carl Rogers, according to Wikipedia. His later book The 8th Habit (2004) urged readers to “find your voice and inspire others to find theirs”.
Personal mission statement
Habit 2 asks you to write a personal mission statement: are you, right now, who you want to be, and how do you want to be remembered, according to Wikipedia? This connects to goal setting: research shows that specific goals and concrete plans improve the chance of following through, according to Locke and Latham and Gollwitzer and Sheeran. See our goal-setting guide.
Videos with Stephen Covey
Hand-picked and checked one by one, including clips from FranklinCovey’s official channel.
Start here
More on the 7 Habits
Articles about Stephen Covey
Books by Stephen Covey
Covey’s best-known books, with their first publication years, according to Wikipedia.
Courses and free resources
FranklinCovey continues to teach his work through courses for organisations and schools, according to Leader in Me (FranklinCovey Education).
What the Research Shows
Covey’s habits come from his reading and experience rather than experiments, but related ideas have been tested.
- Begin with the end in mind. Specific, challenging goals lead to better performance than vague ones, according to Locke and Latham.
- Plans. If–then plans, which specify when and where you will act, have a medium-to-large effect on reaching goals, according to Gollwitzer and Sheeran.
- Popularity. The 7 Habits has sold more than 65 million copies (according to Wikipedia), though sales are not evidence of effectiveness.
Frequently asked questions
Who was Stephen Covey?
An American educator, author and speaker (1932–2012), best known for The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
What are the 7 habits?
Be proactive; begin with the end in mind; put first things first; think win–win; seek first to understand, then to be understood; synergize; and sharpen the saw.
What is the Covey time management matrix?
A grid that sorts tasks by urgency and importance into four quadrants. Covey advised spending most time on important but not urgent tasks.
How many copies has The 7 Habits sold?
More than 65 million copies worldwide since 1989.
How did Stephen Covey die?
He died on 16 July 2012 from complications of a bicycle accident in Provo, Utah, in April that year.
How is Covey connected to Brian Tracy?
Brian Tracy listed Covey among the time-management writers he had studied, alongside Peter Drucker and Alan Lakein.
Books and sources
- Wikipedia: Stephen Covey (accessed 13 November 2026)
- Wikipedia: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
- Wikiquote: Stephen Covey (sourced quotations)
- FranklinCovey: Stephen R. Covey, a letter from Sean Covey
- Tracy, Eat That Frog!, 3rd edition (Berrett-Koehler, 2017)
- Locke and Latham, Building a practically useful theory of goal setting, American Psychologist 2002
- Gollwitzer and Sheeran, Implementation intentions and goal achievement, 2006
- Leader in Me (FranklinCovey Education)
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