The Power of Habit

By: Pj Germain
Submitted: 2007-01-17 15:36:29
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We are all creatures of habit, whether we like it or not. Even though our habits often keep us in our comfort zone instead of reaching our goals, habits per se are not necessarily bad. Without habits, we would have to make conscious decisions at every turn. Nothing would be automatic. We would have to think about everything from brushing our teeth and combing our hair to driving the car. Habits allow us to perform thousands of tasks and routines without causing a mental overload. The only pertinent question regarding habits would be: Am I willing to develop good habits or am I content to develop or continue with bad ones? We can make a habit our servant, or we can allow it to become our master.

The following writing I came across several years ago. I found it to be a very powerful reminder for us all as it pertains to the habits we each hold on to so closely:

Habit
I am your constant companion.
I am your greatest helper or your heaviest burden.
I will push you onward or drag you down to failure.
I am completely at your command.
Half the things you do, you might just as well turn over to me,
And I will be able to do them quickly and correctly.
I am easily managed; you must merely be firm with me.
Show me exactly how you want something done,
And after a few lessons I will do it automatically.
I am the servant of all great men
And, alas, of all failures as well.
Those who are great, I have made great.
Those who are failures, I have made failures.
I am not a machine,
though I work with all the precision of a machine
Plus the intelligence of a man.
You may run me for profit, or run me for ruin;
It makes no difference to me.
Take me, train me, be firm with me
And I will put the world at your feet.
Be easy with me, and I will destroy you.
Who am I?
I am HABIT! (Anonymous)

Developing good habits, in every area from diet to communication skills, can be viewed as a conscious effort to become consistent in our performance. This consistency manifests itself in two distinct ways. Good habits will be consistent with our governing values. Habits are patterns of behavior that involve three components: Knowledge, Desire and Skill. Because these three components are learned rather than inherited, our habits are our second nature, not our first, thus they are not our current habit. We can make or break our habits!

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