Week 2 Summary:

本周学习了习惯二“以终为始”（to begin with the end）和习惯三“要事第一”（put first things first），结合上周学的习惯一“积极主动”（Be Proactive），就是个人领域成功的三个习惯。

习惯一是教我们养成积极主动的思维模式，习惯二的“以终为始”让我们能够重新审视并确定自己的人生方向和价值观（principles），撰写我们的个人使命宣言（personal mission statement)；而习惯三“要事第一”则是要教我们如何有效的管理并实现我们的个人使命宣言。

“要事第一” (put first things first）要处理的是自我管理和时间管理问题。经过对各种时间管理的理论研究和实践检验，作者推荐了“时间管理四象限”法，根据事情的重要性和紧急程度，将我们日常的所有问题归类为四种：第一类“重要且紧急的”、第二类“重要但不紧急的”、第三类“不重要但紧急的”和第四类“不重要也不紧急的”。

而真正具有独立意志（independent will）的高效能人士总能避免陷入第三和第四类事务中，因为不论是否紧急，这类事务都是不重要的；我们不能将有限的时间和精力过多的浪费在这类不重要的事务上，因此我们要学会对这类事务说“不”。

而第二类重要但不紧急的事务，列举的都是和我们的个人使命宣言及价值观有关的事项，因此我们需要将我们最主要的精力和时间都集中在这部分的践行上，如此方可有效能的实现我们的终极目标。

此外，对于有些不需我们事必躬亲的事情，可以进行适当的授权，这也是提高效能的秘诀之一。授权有两种方式，指令型授权（gofer delegation）和责任型授权（stewardship delegation），可依据具体事情性质来确定何种授权更为高效，但是在使用责任型授权时，因为它聚焦的是事情的结果，所以需要双方详细明确具体的沟通过程，具体包括预期成果（desired results）、指导方针（guidelines）、有效资源（resource）、责任归属（accountability）和结果（consequences）五个方面。

English Summary:

Until now, we have finished the first three habits, which all talk about how to deal with self-mastery.

The habit of proactivity is the first and most basic habit for a highly effective person. It requires us to proactively change our paradigms when we found out any ineffective scripts or habits.

Habit 2, "begin with the end" is the first or mental creation, which helps us to detect our deep and fundamental values. Based on these real and correct principles, we can make our personal mission statements or even our family mission statements in our lives. Furthermore, we can also make our organizational mission statements in our works, especially when we are running companies.

Habit 3, "put first things first" is the second or physical creation. It's the fulfillment, the actualization, the natural emergence of habits 1 and 2. It helps us to effectively manage our time and self. In comparison with the other three time management methods, the author suggests us to make advantage of the fourth generation of time management, which categorizes all things into four quadrants according to the importance and urgency. Effective people will focus on Quadrant II (important but not urgent things) which deals with things that help to achieve our personal mission statements. Moreover, effective people are also good for delegations, including gofer delegation and stewardship delegation.

Words and Expressions:

He was biding his time.

bide, vi, (old use) to wait or stay somewhere, often for a long time. [syn: abide] 等待，停留
bide one’s time: to wait until the right moment to do something. 等候最佳时刻
e.g. He is biding his time during the negotiation.

You may give yourself a pat on the back for putting in hours well beyond what is required, evidence of what a hard worker you are.

a pat on the back informal, praise for something that you have done well. 鼓励，赞扬
e.g. We all deserve a pat on the back for submitting the reading notes on time.

They “throw the baby out with the bath water,” reverting to first or second generation techniques to preserve relationships, spontaneity, and quality of life. 结合上下文的意思是，由于第三种时间管理法侧重于每日制定计划，把时间排的过满，失了灵活性，让人喘不过气，因此很多人就放弃不用这个办法，又改回用原来的第一种便条清单法或第二种行事历与日程表。这么做着实有点不分良莠，不懂得“取其精华，弃其糟粕”。

throw the baby out with the bath water, to get rid of good useful parts of a system, organization etc when you are changing it in order to try and make it better.[Longman]; To accidentally get rid of something good while getting rid of something bad. [Urban Dictionary] 这个短语，“把孩子和洗澡水一起倒掉”，意为不分良莠，摒弃坏事物的同时把好的也给弄掉了。
e.g. You have to pay attention not to throw the baby out with the bath water while you are revising your essays.

Be honest and open-tell a person where the quicksand is and where the wild animals are.

quicksand, n, 1) deep, wet sand into which heavy objects sink easily; 流沙；2) a situation that is dangerous and difficult to escape from，危险状态

e.g. If you don't want to change your mind, it's difficult for you to get rid of quicksand of desperation.

I bit my tongue and waited until after dinner.

bite your tongue, [ informal ], also bite your lip, 1) to not speak : to stop yourself from saying something that you are tempted to say; 2) to stop yourself saying something because you know it would not be sensible to say it; 保持缄默

e.g. It's better for me to bit my tongue under such a tense atmosphere.