FOOD FOR THOUGHT
"I am your constant companion.
I am your greatest asset or heaviest burden.
I will push you up to success or down to disappointment.
I am at your command.
Half the things you do might just as well be turned over to me.
For I can do them quickly, correctly and profitably.
I am easily managed; just be firm with me.
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 the precision of a machine
and the intelligence of a person.
You can run me for profit, or you can run me for ruin.
Show me how you want it done. Educate me. Train me. Lead me. Reward me.
And I will then… Do it automatically.
I am your servant. Who am I?
I AM A HABIT!"
Aristotle once said, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.” Habits are great because they enable us to be on autopilot for many tasks. Think about when you first learned to tie your shoe. You had to think about each and every step in the process until you perfected it. Now you are able to tie your shoes without thinking about it or, often times, even looking at what you are doing. All the while, your subconscious mind tells your lungs to breath, your blood to pump, and your eyes to blink. Unfortunately, habits can also be bad for us.
Years ago (I don’t even know when it started) I started setting my alarm an hour before I had to really get up because I have a bad habit of hitting the snooze button. The only thing this has done for me is make me get less restful sleep. So this month I am trying to change that. I have bought a new alarm clock and placed it far enough away from my bed that I have to get out of bed to hit snooze. Then I set my alarm early enough that, if I wake up right away, I will have plenty of time to get in a work out before getting ready for the day. This is all part of my attempt to create good habits and replace my bad habits.
“So how do you create good habits?” you ask. First you have to have a good idea of how habits are formed. Habits are formed through repeated actions. The more often that you repeat the same steps, the faster it will become a habit. Try this…. cross your fingers the way that you normally would. Now notice which finger is on top. Next force yourself to cross your fingers with the opposite finger on top. Does it feel weird? Could you force yourself to cross your fingers this new way for the rest of your life? I think you could even though it could be very difficult. You would have to purposely think about how to cross your fingers every time until it begins to feel natural. Once it feels natural, it will not be long before it becomes a habit and you do it that way all the time.
That is how I plan to change my snoozing habit. It feels odd right now. But, as soon as my body begins to get used to waking up at the same time every morning, it will become a habit and I should no longer need to rely on my alarm clock. The secret to success is to purposely replace destructive habits with habits that will benefit you the most in the long run. Create the habits that you want in order to create the you that you want. In the mean time, have fun with this little “Food for Thought” at the top of this article from Mac Anderson and John J. Murphy who wrote “Habits Die Hard – 10 Steps to Building Successful Habits”
Years ago (I don’t even know when it started) I started setting my alarm an hour before I had to really get up because I have a bad habit of hitting the snooze button. The only thing this has done for me is make me get less restful sleep. So this month I am trying to change that. I have bought a new alarm clock and placed it far enough away from my bed that I have to get out of bed to hit snooze. Then I set my alarm early enough that, if I wake up right away, I will have plenty of time to get in a work out before getting ready for the day. This is all part of my attempt to create good habits and replace my bad habits.
“So how do you create good habits?” you ask. First you have to have a good idea of how habits are formed. Habits are formed through repeated actions. The more often that you repeat the same steps, the faster it will become a habit. Try this…. cross your fingers the way that you normally would. Now notice which finger is on top. Next force yourself to cross your fingers with the opposite finger on top. Does it feel weird? Could you force yourself to cross your fingers this new way for the rest of your life? I think you could even though it could be very difficult. You would have to purposely think about how to cross your fingers every time until it begins to feel natural. Once it feels natural, it will not be long before it becomes a habit and you do it that way all the time.
That is how I plan to change my snoozing habit. It feels odd right now. But, as soon as my body begins to get used to waking up at the same time every morning, it will become a habit and I should no longer need to rely on my alarm clock. The secret to success is to purposely replace destructive habits with habits that will benefit you the most in the long run. Create the habits that you want in order to create the you that you want. In the mean time, have fun with this little “Food for Thought” at the top of this article from Mac Anderson and John J. Murphy who wrote “Habits Die Hard – 10 Steps to Building Successful Habits”
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