When it comes to building sustainable, scalable, and massively profitable sales success, not all habits are created equal. Some are non-negotiable game-changers, while others are multipliers once your foundation is strong.
I’ve ranked them in order of importance based on my understanding of each of the principles. Here’s my power-ranked list of Stephen Covey’s the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and why each one matters in the real world of closing deals, making money and building dominance.
#1. Be Proactive: Take Ownership of Your Sales Game
Because without this, nothing else matters. If you’re waiting on leads, motivation, or management to drive you — you’re already losing. Top producers don’t react—they initiate. They create their own momentum. They control the controllable”s.
“If you’re not first to the deal, someone else is already getting paid on it.” –unknown
#2. Sharpen the Saw: Constantly Level Up
Because sales is evolving daily—and amateurs rely on old scripts while pros are constantly upgrading their weapons. This habit separates the closers from the “wish-and-hope” reps. If you’re not obsessed with getting better, you’ll be replaced by someone who is.
“Your income will never outgrow your personal development.” – Myron Golden
#3. Put First Things First: Focus on Revenue-Generating Activities
Because most salespeople waste time pretending to work. They’re trapped in the trap of busywork, admin, and meetings that don’t move deals forward. Highly effective closers protect their calendar like a sniper guards his trigger.
#4. Begin with the Close in Mind
You gotta know your outcome before you start. This is mindset + strategy. If you don’t structure the convo to close, you’re just giving free consulting. Every action must reverse-engineer the close.
#5. Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood
Sales isn’t about dumping features—it’s about diagnosing the pain. You can’t prescribe the solution if you don’t understand the wound.
”First spoken by Saint Francis of Assisi in the 1200’s ”https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/have-it-backward.545572/
#6. Think Win-Win: Sell with Service
This habit builds long-term success. It’s not just about the one-time close — it’s about repeat business, referrals, and brand equity. When you over deliver, they come back with friends and bigger checks
#7. Synergize: Collaborate to Scale
Still essential, but this one multiplies success—after the foundation is set. Once you’re already closing, bringing in team synergy, collaboration, and ecosystem selling helps you go from top performer to industry dominator.
