About Habits

ByMatthew

“Do you have habits, or do your habits have you?” – Brian Tracy

I heard that  this morning while listening to his audio program “Focal Point” (one of my favorite programs of his) in the car. It hit me particularly hard as I know, deep-down, that many of my habits don’t serve me, and they indeed have me.

One reason (perhaps the primary one . . . ) that habits are so had to break is that we see repeated actions that don’t harm us as functional. This happens on a less-than-conscious level and the effects accrete over time. We find ourselves surviving — but not thriving — and we don’t even know the difference.

I liken the situation to the difference in feeling between how we view a job when we first start (and we’re full of hope, optimism and energy) and how we feel after a year or so (we are usually ambivalent, at best). We know deep-down that something isn’t right, but we soldier on, feeling the pressure of many obligations (and not having a clear enough idea of what we truly want, instead).

I want to know what you would do instead. If you could make a significant change, what would it be? For me it would be a change that is both big and small. Meaning: I would spend my time in a more focused way, on the tasks I know are critical to my authentic goals (the small bit), and that my actions would “result” in me having a successful, thriving coaching practice that allows me to earn an excellent income while enjoying myself, my friends and my time (the big bit).

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