The “What Matters Most Tri-quation” (pg. 67-72)
Pages 67–72 of What Matters Most serve as a brief introduction to Part Two of the book, where the core process for discovering what matters most begins to take shape. Hyrum Smith draws a compelling parallel between the creation of the United States Constitution and the personal work readers are about to undertake. At the […]
Protecting Your Focus In A Busy World
In today’s world, distractions are relentless. Notifications ping constantly, emails flood inboxes, and urgent demands pull us in every direction. Yet the most fulfilled people aren’t the busiest—they’re the most focused. They protect their attention like a precious resource, directing it toward what truly matters rather than letting the day dictate their energy. The key […]
The Power of Knowing Who You Are (pg. 27-45)
Chapter 1 of What Matters Most invites readers to consider the people they most admire—their personal heroes—and to examine what qualities set these individuals apart. Through four varied examples—Winston Churchill, Michael Jordan, Mother Teresa, and an unassuming high-school teacher named Robert Niederholzer—Hyrum Smith identifies a common thread: every one of them lived with exceptional clarity […]
Finish Strong: How to Wrap Up the Year With Purpose
As the year winds down, it’s tempting to sprint through December just trying to get everything done. But finishing strong doesn’t mean doing more—it means doing what matters most. When you pause to reflect, prioritize, and plan intentionally, you not only end the year with purpose but also step into the next one with clarity […]
Thanksgiving Word Search
Download and print the correct size for your planner:
Inside-Out Again: A Conclusion to The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (pg. 367-384)
Real change doesn’t come from a trendy quote, a flashy goal-setting app, or a temporary surge of motivation. It doesn’t happen from the outside in. As Stephen R. Covey reminds us in the final pages of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, lasting, transformational change always begins from the inside out. “It comes from […]
The Franklin Five: August 2025
August brings the last full month of summer and a transition to back to school and other activities. Use this time to spend time with family and friends and celebrate the start of the harvest. Check out our weekly Franklin Planner Talk blog posts for uplifting ideas and great material. Our goal at Franklin Planner is to support […]
An Introduction to Empathic Listening (pg. 274-282)
Most of us know how frustrating it is to share something personal or important—only to be met with advice, correction, or a quick fix. We walk away feeling unheard, even dismissed. Stephen R. Covey challenges this common habit of communication with a transformational principle: Seek first to understand, then to be understood. Covey calls this […]
How Small Daily Wins Lead to Big Success
Success is often viewed as a grand achievement, the pinnacle of years of hard work. What many don’t see, however, is the accumulation of small wins that pave the path to that success. No one transforms overnight from being unproductive to being highly successful. Instead, progress is made through consistent, incremental improvements—getting just 1% better […]
The Six Paradigms of Human Interaction (pg. 236-247)
As we progress through our detailed exploration of Stephen Covey’s foundational text, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, this post examines pages 236-247, where Covey articulates The Six Paradigms of Human Interaction, highlighting the pivotal role of the Win/Win approach in fostering effective relationships. Covey ties effective interpersonal leadership to the habit of Think […]