Chapter 77 Habits.
We have seen the importance of responses to daily situations, which should be consistently positive and supported by good habits. The Greek philosopher Aristotle wrote: "We are what we repeatedly do. Someone once said, "Habits are at first cobwebs, then cobbles. Your character are habits grown over time, so watch out, your habits are developing you into a finished product! John Dryden forewarned, "We first make our habits, and then our habits make us. Epictetus cautioned us, "The second half of a mans life is made up of ... the habits he has acquired in the first half. Let us see the importance of good habits:
First of all, wholesome habits bring healthy and happy living. Waking up early, eating nutritious foods, getting adequate exercise and sleep, and living healthily are all desirable habits. Sound psychological orientations and self-mastery are important too, they erase stress, fear, depression, self-pity and other habitual and deadly sins. The danger lies in the fact that we do most things without thinking while they take roots in us, things like smoking, drinking and lazing away. Mind you, around the world people are even hurt or killed each day because of bad habits like drunk-driving, smoking and overeating.
Secondly, habits are vital for etiquette and social success. Most bad manners are habitual, like talking loudly and incessantly, interrupting, bad expressions and postures, little consideration for others, and so on. Learn to cultivate more and more good habits; once they are started and their benefits are felt, they become progressively easier to keep. Your pattern of behaviour even determines your allimportant self-image. Change one and you automatically change the other!
Next, we come to our success in life, which is the offspring of excellent habits. Right routines always bring time-saving, energy-saving and productivity. They add value to our time and resources, instead of squandering them. Your subconscious mind is directed by what you think and do each day; it should dwell persistently on visions of all the good things that you wish for. Make positive thinking your constant companion.
Discipline yourself for distinction by having a strong purpose, which leads to the formation of winning habits. R. L. Smith remarked, "Discipline is the refining fire by which talent becomes ability. People wonder why the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. It is little surprise to me. People are after all the products of their habits; their successes gather momentum as they enjoy the rewards. The poor remain permanently listless and weak, finding it hard to pushstart that heavy first turn of their "wheel. Stiff competition and the snowballing advance of the rich eventually make them even poorer! However, for success to be powerful and lasting, scattered accomplishments and surges of motivation must be strongly rooted, and be as regular and consistent as breathing. In short, success is a habit and so is failure!
Great success is attained by the special few. Hence, it is only achieved in a special way, through discipline, persistence and proper habits. You must pay the price to win the prize, constantly controlling yourself, training, working and advancing. Nietzsche wrote, "You cannot achieve great success until you are faithful to yourself. Thomas Huxley remarked: "The most valuable trait... is the ability to make yourself do the things you have to do... when it ought to be done... whether you like it or not. Many notable people have harped on the marvel of selfdiscipline. Lao Tsu wrote, "He who controls others may be powerful, but he who masters himself is mightier still. The great writer Daniel Defoe asserted, "Real greatness consists of being master of yourself. John Milton concurred, "He reigns himself, and rules his passions, desires, and fears, is more than a king.
It is not easy to change noxious old addictions. Once I heard a joke that said, "My Mom grew very fat because of shame. It is a shame to throw this out, it is a shame to throw that out... It takes discipline and skills to put a full stop to foul habits. The best approach is to change them into good ones, thus replacing them nicely. Do new things to displace these wrong practices. Focus positively on these good routines, rather than hankering for bad ones. If someone wants to stop smoking he should enjoy the peanuts and chewing-gum instead of thinking about the cigarette. If you want to have a better diet, think of the nice things you can eat and not those that are bad for you. Put a halt to boredom, frustration and anger; take massive positive action instead.
Experts found to their surprise that relapse of bad habits often occurred after people had gone past the most trying and tempting period. They discovered that vile tendencies resurfaced as soon as anger, boredom, loneliness, sadness or other negative emotions set in. Other techniques to overcome resumption of these evil habits are: 1. Plan ahead, with the readiness to fight back with evasive or replacement action when the urge strikes. Examples are taking a walk, talking to someone or doing something else thats positive and beneficial. 2. Avoid tempting and high-risk situations, such as depressed or grievous moods, and places of bad habits, with smoking, overeating and so on. 3. Reward and condition yourself for not resuming your naughty ways. 4. Get the help and support of family and friends.
The most effective way to adopt virtuous habits is still the cultivation of discipline. Even discipline itself is habit-forming; as the little rewards and advantages leads to more and more! Dont forget too that discipline is a gesture of self-training and caring. To me, it gives an enormous sense of self-worth and selflove. I feel I am a valuable, respectable human being, not a worm. When you recognise and appreciate this point you will exercise control, restraint and selfdenial. Be a person with a soft heart and hard head, learn to say no. Indecision and the inability to say no are big time-wasters. Beware of comfort and complacency too, they are counter-productive. When a person gets too comfortable, he stops growing and achieving. Will Roger said, "Even if you are on the right track, youll get run over if you just sit there. Stop dozing and daydreaming, and give persistence to fruitful behaviour. Consistency and perseverance are the hallmarks of champions.
A proverb says: "Nothing is difficult if youre used to it. My lesson is: Watch your habits, and build good ones progressively. You can work towards a fulfilling life, every minute of the day. Our time on earth is too short and precious; dont waste this golden opportunity.
"Sow a thought and you reap an act; sow an act and you reap a habit; sow a habit and you reap a character; sow a character and you reap a destiny." - R. W. Emerson.