Life has many distractions, and teens especially must find a way to balance a desire to stay socially involved while fulfilling family, school, and extracurricular obligations. Social media, in particular, can be time-consuming as well as distracting, tempting us away from ourselves. However, the first three habits require that we block out the distractions and focus on ourselves as we figure out what is in our circle of control, what our goals are, and what our vision is for the future. Before we can work on our relationships, we must work on ourselves, building our own sense of worth and responsibility. If we feel a poor sense of worth, nothing is possible. Everything seems out of reach. If we can transform our paradigm and believe in our potential, anything is possible. A strengthened self-image will be a powerful tool to help teens fight insecurities, anxieties, and jealousies so they can create greater independence and confidence.

Covey is aware of the serious adversities that many teenagers deal with. He does not gloss over abuse, violence, and other destructive behaviors, but he believes that the seven habits are even more necessary for those situations, perhaps even helping to overcome generations of negative paradigms.