1 01:00:01,250 --> 01:00:02,000 Good morning. 2 01:00:03,958 --> 01:00:06,041 And welcome to morning cereal 3 01:00:12,041 --> 01:00:14,041 Okay, good morning and welcome to tax 4 01:00:14,041 --> 01:00:15,541 day, tax day Tuesday. 5 01:00:16,208 --> 01:00:18,333 And just a friendly reminder here, your 6 01:00:18,333 --> 01:00:19,500 tax returns are due 7 01:00:19,500 --> 01:00:21,125 today, so you're welcome if 8 01:00:21,125 --> 01:00:22,875 that fact actually slipped your mind. 9 01:00:23,458 --> 01:00:25,750 And in the event your dirty clothes piles 10 01:00:25,750 --> 01:00:27,750 slipped your mind as well, well, today is 11 01:00:27,750 --> 01:00:29,750 also National Laundry Day. 12 01:00:30,375 --> 01:00:31,500 And down here in Texas 13 01:00:31,500 --> 01:00:33,666 right now, it is pollen season. 14 01:00:33,958 --> 01:00:36,000 So I apologize, you can hear it in my 15 01:00:36,000 --> 01:00:37,666 voice, you can see it in my eyes. 16 01:00:38,416 --> 01:00:40,083 So pollen's literally covered everything 17 01:00:40,083 --> 01:00:41,291 outside on the patio in 18 01:00:41,291 --> 01:00:43,083 a nice yellow dusting. 19 01:00:43,541 --> 01:00:45,000 And I'm guessing that's exactly what the 20 01:00:45,000 --> 01:00:46,541 inside of my lungs look like as well. 21 01:00:47,208 --> 01:00:48,500 Well, hey, I'm going to mention these 22 01:00:48,500 --> 01:00:49,541 national days as well, 23 01:00:49,541 --> 01:00:50,333 because I think it's just going 24 01:00:50,333 --> 01:00:51,500 to speak to someone out 25 01:00:51,500 --> 01:00:52,666 there somewhere, right? 26 01:00:53,375 --> 01:00:56,458 Today is also National Rubber Eraser Day. 27 01:00:56,875 --> 01:00:58,208 And it's also national 28 01:00:58,208 --> 01:00:59,583 take a wild guest day. 29 01:00:59,916 --> 01:01:02,208 So I hope that spoke to one or two of you 30 01:01:02,208 --> 01:01:02,916 out there somewhere 31 01:01:02,916 --> 01:01:03,916 who really needed to hear 32 01:01:03,916 --> 01:01:04,166 that. 33 01:01:05,708 --> 01:01:07,083 Today's quote is from Emma Watson. 34 01:01:07,541 --> 01:01:10,750 She said, "What gets scary is when your 35 01:01:10,750 --> 01:01:12,541 self worth is tied up in 36 01:01:12,541 --> 01:01:13,500 what strangers think of 37 01:01:13,500 --> 01:01:13,916 you." 38 01:01:14,666 --> 01:01:16,541 Well, let's jump into today's news facts 39 01:01:16,541 --> 01:01:18,541 and birthdays, the refer April 15th. 40 01:01:18,708 --> 01:01:21,291 And as we mentioned yesterday, officially 41 01:01:21,291 --> 01:01:23,125 on this day in 1912, 42 01:01:23,375 --> 01:01:24,916 the Titanic, after hitting 43 01:01:24,916 --> 01:01:27,208 an iceberg late last night on its way to 44 01:01:27,208 --> 01:01:28,833 New York City, it sunk 45 01:01:28,833 --> 01:01:30,375 earlier this morning on 46 01:01:30,375 --> 01:01:32,166 this date back in 1912. 47 01:01:33,250 --> 01:01:35,625 Then in 1990, sketch comedy, 48 01:01:35,625 --> 01:01:37,416 TV series and living color. 49 01:01:37,416 --> 01:01:38,583 You guys remember this one, right? 50 01:01:39,000 --> 01:01:41,541 It premiered on Fox and there were so 51 01:01:41,541 --> 01:01:42,583 many great comedians on 52 01:01:42,583 --> 01:01:43,958 that show, but the show 53 01:01:43,958 --> 01:01:46,250 really originally gifted us with the 54 01:01:46,250 --> 01:01:48,041 hilarious Jim Carrey. 55 01:01:48,583 --> 01:01:50,166 Do you remember the fireman that he used 56 01:01:50,166 --> 01:01:51,666 to do where he tucked his lips in? 57 01:01:52,583 --> 01:01:53,083 So funny. 58 01:01:54,250 --> 01:01:56,291 And do you remember also that on this 59 01:01:56,291 --> 01:01:59,083 date back in 2019, the 60 01:01:59,083 --> 01:02:01,208 historic Notre Dame of Paris, 61 01:02:01,541 --> 01:02:04,000 it caught fire during a restoration and 62 01:02:04,000 --> 01:02:05,083 the blaze, which you 63 01:02:05,083 --> 01:02:07,041 could see on TV all day long, 64 01:02:07,041 --> 01:02:09,625 it was incredible because it caught fire. 65 01:02:09,916 --> 01:02:10,500 You remember the 66 01:02:10,500 --> 01:02:12,625 cathedral fell in a little bit. 67 01:02:13,250 --> 01:02:14,958 Well, it destroyed most of the 68 01:02:14,958 --> 01:02:16,250 cathedral's roof and 69 01:02:16,250 --> 01:02:17,875 the 19th century's fire. 70 01:02:17,875 --> 01:02:19,041 You remember when that fell? 71 01:02:19,041 --> 01:02:19,666 That was incredible. 72 01:02:20,500 --> 01:02:22,458 Well, the restoration of the fire damage 73 01:02:22,458 --> 01:02:23,541 took about five years, 74 01:02:23,541 --> 01:02:25,041 but it was completed just 75 01:02:25,041 --> 01:02:26,166 last year in December. 76 01:02:27,125 --> 01:02:28,416 Well, happy birthday to you. 77 01:02:28,500 --> 01:02:29,583 Today's your birthday. 78 01:02:29,583 --> 01:02:30,708 You share a birthday with 79 01:02:30,708 --> 01:02:31,875 quite a few people here. 80 01:02:32,791 --> 01:02:34,833 Actress Maisie Williams, she's 28. 81 01:02:35,625 --> 01:02:37,916 Actress Emma Watson, she's 35. 82 01:02:38,916 --> 01:02:40,791 Actor Seth Rogen, he's 43. 83 01:02:41,500 --> 01:02:43,625 And singer Chris Stapleton, he's 47. 84 01:02:44,166 --> 01:02:45,083 Who knew he was so 85 01:02:45,083 --> 01:02:46,041 young under that beard? 86 01:02:46,625 --> 01:02:48,250 And finally, actress Emma 87 01:02:48,250 --> 01:02:50,250 Thompson, she's 66 today. 88 01:02:51,041 --> 01:02:53,000 And the number one song on this date back 89 01:02:53,000 --> 01:02:55,041 in 1989 was "She 90 01:02:55,041 --> 01:02:56,916 Drives Me Crazy" by the Fine 91 01:02:56,916 --> 01:02:57,666 Young Cannibals. 92 01:02:58,250 --> 01:03:00,041 Now, this was the band's first number one 93 01:03:00,041 --> 01:03:00,958 hit, which was followed 94 01:03:00,958 --> 01:03:02,166 up in just a few months 95 01:03:02,166 --> 01:03:03,791 later with their second 96 01:03:03,791 --> 01:03:05,041 number one hit, "Good Thing." 97 01:03:05,958 --> 01:03:07,625 And interestingly, the band was from 98 01:03:07,625 --> 01:03:09,041 England, but they never 99 01:03:09,041 --> 01:03:11,000 had a number one song in the 100 01:03:11,083 --> 01:03:11,416 UK. 101 01:03:12,750 --> 01:03:14,791 Well, let's jump into our book review. 102 01:03:15,041 --> 01:03:16,166 And as you all know, we're reading 103 01:03:16,166 --> 01:03:17,500 through Stephen R. Covey's 104 01:03:17,500 --> 01:03:19,000 "The Seven Habits of Highly 105 01:03:19,000 --> 01:03:19,875 Effective People." 106 01:03:20,708 --> 01:03:22,625 And in this first chapter entitled 107 01:03:22,625 --> 01:03:23,916 "Inside Out," Covey is 108 01:03:23,916 --> 01:03:24,875 discussing the differences 109 01:03:25,041 --> 01:03:26,166 between character traits 110 01:03:26,166 --> 01:03:27,541 and personality ethics. 111 01:03:28,125 --> 01:03:30,375 And he's unpacking how our behaviors are 112 01:03:30,375 --> 01:03:31,083 based on our 113 01:03:31,083 --> 01:03:33,208 perspectives and our experiences, 114 01:03:33,500 --> 01:03:35,041 which are our paradigms. 115 01:03:35,750 --> 01:03:38,125 And yesterday Covey introduced the idea 116 01:03:38,125 --> 01:03:39,166 that despite our 117 01:03:39,166 --> 01:03:41,541 individual paradigms, within each 118 01:03:41,541 --> 01:03:44,083 of us exists an awareness of certain 119 01:03:44,083 --> 01:03:45,458 innate foundational 120 01:03:45,458 --> 01:03:47,458 principles that cannot be broken 121 01:03:47,583 --> 01:03:49,583 and are self-evident to one degree or 122 01:03:49,583 --> 01:03:50,875 another in each individual. 123 01:03:51,916 --> 01:03:53,875 Now Covey briefly touches on these 124 01:03:53,875 --> 01:03:55,583 foundational principles here in this 125 01:03:55,583 --> 01:03:57,250 chapter and the first 126 01:03:57,250 --> 01:04:00,375 of which being fairness, "out of which 127 01:04:00,375 --> 01:04:02,250 our whole concept of equity 128 01:04:02,250 --> 01:04:03,791 and justice is developed." 129 01:04:04,916 --> 01:04:06,416 And even if people define this 130 01:04:06,416 --> 01:04:07,708 differently, Covey's 131 01:04:07,708 --> 01:04:09,875 position is that there is nearly 132 01:04:09,875 --> 01:04:12,000 a universal awareness of 133 01:04:12,000 --> 01:04:13,791 fairness, even in little children. 134 01:04:15,166 --> 01:04:16,708 The next principle is integrity and 135 01:04:16,708 --> 01:04:18,833 honesty, which "creates the 136 01:04:18,833 --> 01:04:20,375 foundation of trust, which 137 01:04:20,416 --> 01:04:23,000 is essential to cooperation and long-term 138 01:04:23,000 --> 01:04:24,916 personal and interpersonal growth." 139 01:04:26,458 --> 01:04:27,541 Another foundational 140 01:04:27,541 --> 01:04:29,083 principle is human dignity. 141 01:04:29,708 --> 01:04:32,166 And Covey quotes the U.S. Declaration of 142 01:04:32,166 --> 01:04:33,458 Independence here, right? 143 01:04:34,166 --> 01:04:36,125 "We hold all these truths to be 144 01:04:36,125 --> 01:04:38,041 self-evident, that all men 145 01:04:38,041 --> 01:04:39,791 are created equal and endowed 146 01:04:39,875 --> 01:04:42,791 by their Creator with certain inalienable 147 01:04:42,791 --> 01:04:44,000 rights that among 148 01:04:44,000 --> 01:04:45,583 these are life, liberty, 149 01:04:45,833 --> 01:04:47,250 and the pursuit of happiness." 150 01:04:48,916 --> 01:04:51,791 Covey mentions service, "the idea of 151 01:04:51,791 --> 01:04:53,875 making a contribution," and 152 01:04:53,875 --> 01:04:55,916 then quality or excellence 153 01:04:55,916 --> 01:04:57,333 as foundational principles. 154 01:04:58,375 --> 01:05:01,083 Then Covey points to potential as a 155 01:05:01,083 --> 01:05:02,291 foundational principle, 156 01:05:02,583 --> 01:05:05,083 which is "the idea that we are 157 01:05:05,375 --> 01:05:08,250 embryonic and can grow and develop and 158 01:05:08,250 --> 01:05:09,583 release more and more 159 01:05:09,583 --> 01:05:11,875 potential, develop more and 160 01:05:11,875 --> 01:05:12,625 more talents." 161 01:05:14,041 --> 01:05:15,750 And very similar to potential is the 162 01:05:15,750 --> 01:05:18,208 principle of growth, which is "the 163 01:05:18,208 --> 01:05:19,333 process of releasing 164 01:05:19,375 --> 01:05:22,208 potential and developing talents, with 165 01:05:22,208 --> 01:05:24,083 the accompanying need for 166 01:05:24,083 --> 01:05:25,666 principles such as patience, 167 01:05:26,375 --> 01:05:27,583 nurturance, and encouragement." 168 01:05:29,125 --> 01:05:30,666 Covey does not want the reader to miss 169 01:05:30,666 --> 01:05:32,416 out on understanding 170 01:05:32,416 --> 01:05:33,875 the materiality of these 171 01:05:33,875 --> 01:05:34,416 principles. 172 01:05:34,958 --> 01:05:37,333 They are not simply just good practices. 173 01:05:37,791 --> 01:05:40,000 Practices are situationally specific. 174 01:05:41,125 --> 01:05:42,666 Principles are also not 175 01:05:42,666 --> 01:05:44,541 just simply values either. 176 01:05:45,250 --> 01:05:46,541 Values can be shared by thieves. 177 01:05:47,125 --> 01:05:50,666 No, principles are "deep, fundamental 178 01:05:50,666 --> 01:05:51,708 truths that have 179 01:05:51,708 --> 01:05:54,250 universal application, that when 180 01:05:54,333 --> 01:05:57,583 internalized into habits, provide truth 181 01:05:57,583 --> 01:06:00,583 and knowledge of things as they are." 182 01:06:01,458 --> 01:06:03,625 Covey closes this sub-chapter with this 183 01:06:03,625 --> 01:06:05,000 definition of principle, saying 184 01:06:05,000 --> 01:06:06,625 "Principles are guidelines 185 01:06:07,000 --> 01:06:09,416 for human conduct that are proven to have 186 01:06:09,416 --> 01:06:11,416 enduring, permanent value. 187 01:06:12,166 --> 01:06:14,375 They're fundamental and self-evident." 188 01:06:15,583 --> 01:06:17,000 And what Covey means by being 189 01:06:17,000 --> 01:06:18,666 self-evident is that first, 190 01:06:18,916 --> 01:06:20,750 we are all innately conscious 191 01:06:21,083 --> 01:06:22,083 of their existence. 192 01:06:22,875 --> 01:06:24,416 And secondly, Covey says it would be 193 01:06:24,416 --> 01:06:26,125 absurd to consider living 194 01:06:26,125 --> 01:06:28,291 a life, living the opposite 195 01:06:28,291 --> 01:06:30,208 of these principles, and then expecting 196 01:06:30,208 --> 01:06:31,750 to have a foundation 197 01:06:31,750 --> 01:06:33,458 for lasting happiness and 198 01:06:33,541 --> 01:06:33,916 success. 199 01:06:34,583 --> 01:06:36,041 So the opposite of these fundamental 200 01:06:36,041 --> 01:06:37,708 principles would be things like 201 01:06:37,708 --> 01:06:40,083 unfairness, deceit, baseness, 202 01:06:40,458 --> 01:06:41,875 uselessness, mediocrity. 203 01:06:42,291 --> 01:06:43,958 How could you live like that and still 204 01:06:43,958 --> 01:06:45,250 have a solid foundation 205 01:06:45,250 --> 01:06:46,625 for lasting happiness and 206 01:06:46,625 --> 01:06:47,000 success? 207 01:06:48,083 --> 01:06:50,375 So remember the maps in our heads are 208 01:06:50,375 --> 01:06:51,458 paradigms that have been 209 01:06:51,458 --> 01:06:52,750 built through our experiences 210 01:06:52,958 --> 01:06:54,750 and the lenses through which we see and 211 01:06:54,750 --> 01:06:56,458 behave and interact with this world? 212 01:06:57,166 --> 01:07:00,291 Well Covey says, "The more closely our 213 01:07:00,291 --> 01:07:02,125 maps or our paradigms are 214 01:07:02,125 --> 01:07:03,583 aligned with these principles 215 01:07:04,041 --> 01:07:07,416 or these natural laws, the more accurate 216 01:07:07,416 --> 01:07:09,125 and functional they will be." 217 01:07:09,916 --> 01:07:12,583 Thus, the more effective each of us will 218 01:07:12,583 --> 01:07:14,416 be and much more so 219 01:07:14,416 --> 01:07:16,666 than simply trying harder 220 01:07:16,666 --> 01:07:18,708 or having a good attitude. 221 01:07:19,791 --> 01:07:22,166 Alright, there is so much to get in there 222 01:07:22,166 --> 01:07:23,416 that I didn't even get 223 01:07:23,416 --> 01:07:24,416 to the next sub-chapter 224 01:07:24,416 --> 01:07:25,458 like I thought I might. 225 01:07:26,083 --> 01:07:27,875 But I'm spending the time to make sure we 226 01:07:27,875 --> 01:07:28,750 understand Covey's 227 01:07:28,750 --> 01:07:30,750 foundational concepts as 228 01:07:30,750 --> 01:07:31,791 we get into this book. 229 01:07:32,500 --> 01:07:34,291 But tomorrow we'll unpack Covey's next 230 01:07:34,291 --> 01:07:35,375 sub-chapter, which is 231 01:07:35,375 --> 01:07:36,791 Principles of Growth and Change. 232 01:07:37,541 --> 01:07:38,833 That sounds like an enigma 233 01:07:38,833 --> 01:07:40,083 song for some reason to me. 234 01:07:40,500 --> 01:07:42,458 Well, don't forget to file your taxes 235 01:07:42,458 --> 01:07:44,250 today and thanks for joining us today. 236 01:07:44,625 --> 01:07:45,708 Come back tomorrow and 237 01:07:45,708 --> 01:07:47,041 have a fantastic day. 238 01:07:48,375 --> 01:07:50,291 Don't forget to follow and subscribe to 239 01:07:50,291 --> 01:07:52,208 the Morning Serial podcast on the One 240 01:07:52,208 --> 01:07:53,500 Life Live It channel. 241 01:07:54,041 --> 01:07:55,958 You can find more episodes and videos by 242 01:07:55,958 --> 01:07:56,750 visiting our YouTube 243 01:07:56,750 --> 01:07:58,500 channel and the website at 244 01:07:58,625 --> 01:08:01,041 Shawningless and at Shawningless.com, 245 01:08:01,333 --> 01:08:02,125 where you can also 246 01:08:02,125 --> 01:08:03,583 follow our other podcast, 247 01:08:03,875 --> 01:08:05,875 the Mr. and Mrs. English podcast and the 248 01:08:05,875 --> 01:08:06,833 Life Happens podcast. 249 01:08:07,666 --> 01:08:09,333 In these other podcasts, we'll dive 250 01:08:09,333 --> 01:08:10,708 deeper into everyday issues, 251 01:08:10,958 --> 01:08:12,250 self-improvement and well-being, 252 01:08:12,458 --> 01:08:14,458 business and finance, and we welcome 253 01:08:14,458 --> 01:08:16,125 special guests too. So 254 01:08:16,125 --> 01:08:17,541 join us. It'll be a good time, 255 01:08:17,583 --> 01:08:19,625 I promise. Thanks again for listening. 256 01:08:19,875 --> 01:08:21,458 Have a fantastic day and 257 01:08:21,458 --> 01:08:21,958 we'll see you tomorrow.