An explanation of habit by way of a poem
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 them over to me,
And I will be able to do them quickly and correctly
I am easily managed; you must 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 a HABIT!
Author Unknown
Kick Your Bad Habit – And Keep it Away for Good
Getting started on a bad habit is easy, but quitting it can be very difficult.
So how do you quit a bad habit you’ve been meaning to? Well, if you’re looking for answers;
Here are some tips on making a bad habit a thing of the past.
1. Define Your Goals.
First, you have to identify the habit you are trying to kick out. This is the most important step in kicking a habit. If you don’t accept that you have a problem, you won’t be able to solve it. Write it down and why you want to rid yourself of it.
When you have written it down, proceed to naming your goals. If your goal is to lose weight or quit smoking, then state it boldly.
Along with the goal, you will need to state why you wish to change then add some other data, such as schedules and plans for quitting the habit in question.
When defining your goals, try not to make the mistake of putting in an unrealistic goal. This will only serve to frustrate your attempts, and you could very well see yourself falling back on your old habit!
2. Get Help. You should realize that there are things that are best solved with the help of a friend. A bad habit is one of them. Support groups are a wonderful way to suppress your quitting efforts. Knowing that there are people who are going through the same things you are going through, and who support you emotionally and physically, can greatly increase your will and ability to deal with a bad habit.
3. Substitution. When trying to quit a habit, the stress and anxiety that follows an episode when you cannot get the result you want can be truly unnerving.
One technique to help you overcome this is to try substitution. The best way to quit a habit is to replace it with another habit – one you wish to acquire for your benefit.
As Og Mandino would say you can only replace one habit by overwriting it with another more desirable one.
4. Keep Track of Your Progress.
Progress always is a great motivator for people to stop a habit. To avoid thinking that you are going nowhere, keep a log of your quitting journey, this will encourage you when you think you are not making progress.
And most importantly reward yourself for every milestone you achieve. Don’t make the milestones too big – small steps are best. This is a good way to encourage you towards your goal.
To help you stay on track and put your life on autopilot for success we recommend the program “The Power of Positive Habits”
"If greater success, improved self-esteem and happiness are your life destinations, The Power of Positive Habits can take you there! This is a simple but powerful program that can transform your life."
–Jack Canfield - #1 NY Times Best-selling author of
"Chicken Soup for the Soul"
You can get this program from our sister site