Before Covey's '7 Habits' was 'Spiritual Roots'

Before author Stephen R. Covey wrote his best-selling "7 Habits of Highly Effective People," he wrote another widely read book titled, "Spiritual Roots of Human Relations."

The popular writer, speaker and teacher died early Monday in Idaho Falls, Idaho.

"Spiritual Roots of Human Relations," originally published in 1970, addresses the roots of relationship problems and suggests spiritual solutions such as vision, commitment, understanding and example, communication, and self-discipline.

"The roots of the problems we face in the world, in our national life and in our family and personal lives, are spiritual. The symptomatic manifestations (branches) of these problems are social, economic and political, but the roots are moral and spiritual. And they lie first within each individual and then within the family," Covey wrote in the introduction. "Since the problems are rooted spiritually, the solutions are also. To not accept and act on this fact is comparable to giving aspirin for headaches and covering sores with bandages. We must work on the causes, the roots."

Harold Glen Clark published this review of "Spiritual Roots" in the 1970 Fall edition of BYU Studies.

"Spiritual Roots" has sold hundreds of thousands of copies.

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