Friday, June 22, 2012
Good Habits, Bad Habits - You're the Captain of Your Soul
"We are what we repeatedly do." - Aristotle
For a long time whenever I returned home, I put my keys, billfold and other carry-away items in a basket stored out of sight. Not long ago, I started leaving all this stuff in plain view on the kitchen counter. It made sense because it was easier to grab them when I was ready to leave the house. I've been doing this ever since, maybe two weeks now. If I don't change this pattern, before long it'll become a habit and I'll be doing it automatically.
Habit. Routine. Skill. Behavior pattern. Although these are different words, they all signify the same thing - an action that is done without deciding to do it. After many repetitions, the brain cells involved in the action wire together to form an efficient circuit. A conscious decision is no longer needed to execute the behavior.
Many authorities on behavior change say if you do something repeatedly for 30 days, it will become a habit. Actually, that's true, provided that...
If we're talking about a complex behavior pattern, it will take longer.
And if it takes longer, you'll need to be persistent. A long time ago, when I was trying to improve the way I listen, it took me two years to establish the listening habits I wanted. Whew!
GROSS-OUT WARNING...SKIP THE NEXT PARAGRAPH IF YOU DON'T LIKE READING DISGUSTING CONTENT.
I once knew this guy who picked his nose. Yuk! True...but that's not all. To make it simple to get rid of the booger, he would eat it. Gross! I've heard this nasty habit isn't so rare, but it gives me the creeps when I try to imagine the mindset of anyone who would actually do this.
The answer is simple. The guy probably started doing it as a little kid, created the habit, and never bothered to establish a better one. You know, like maybe blowing your nose into a tissue.
The lesson: Your brain doesn't care if the behavior pattern is a good one or a bad one. If you do something and keep on doing it, after a while, your brain will wire itself for the new habit. It's what the brain does. And remember - the brain doesn't have a delete key. The connections are physical. Once the neural pathway is established, it's permanent.
So try to be conscious of the habits you're creating. And...make your new habits good ones! Such as...
A couple more good articles about changing behavior patterns...
The No. 1 Thing You Need to Know about Personal Development
I Rewire My Brain - I Replace Another Bad Habit with a Good One
"I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul." From the poem "Invictus," by William Ernest Henley
Post by Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D., Copyright 2012. Building Personal Strength .
Habit. Routine. Skill. Behavior pattern. Although these are different words, they all signify the same thing - an action that is done without deciding to do it. After many repetitions, the brain cells involved in the action wire together to form an efficient circuit. A conscious decision is no longer needed to execute the behavior.
Many authorities on behavior change say if you do something repeatedly for 30 days, it will become a habit. Actually, that's true, provided that...
- The behavior pattern is relatively simple
- You repeat the behavior consistently without fail
If we're talking about a complex behavior pattern, it will take longer.
And if it takes longer, you'll need to be persistent. A long time ago, when I was trying to improve the way I listen, it took me two years to establish the listening habits I wanted. Whew!
GROSS-OUT WARNING...SKIP THE NEXT PARAGRAPH IF YOU DON'T LIKE READING DISGUSTING CONTENT.
I once knew this guy who picked his nose. Yuk! True...but that's not all. To make it simple to get rid of the booger, he would eat it. Gross! I've heard this nasty habit isn't so rare, but it gives me the creeps when I try to imagine the mindset of anyone who would actually do this.
The answer is simple. The guy probably started doing it as a little kid, created the habit, and never bothered to establish a better one. You know, like maybe blowing your nose into a tissue.
The lesson: Your brain doesn't care if the behavior pattern is a good one or a bad one. If you do something and keep on doing it, after a while, your brain will wire itself for the new habit. It's what the brain does. And remember - the brain doesn't have a delete key. The connections are physical. Once the neural pathway is established, it's permanent.
So try to be conscious of the habits you're creating. And...make your new habits good ones! Such as...
- Acknowledging the people you encounter with a smile, a wave and a greeting...
- Spending time with your best friends regularly...
- Starting each day by working on your top priority for two hours...
- Reading at least one good book every week
- Eating a cup of blueberries with your cereal every morning...
A couple more good articles about changing behavior patterns...
The No. 1 Thing You Need to Know about Personal Development
I Rewire My Brain - I Replace Another Bad Habit with a Good One
"I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul." From the poem "Invictus," by William Ernest Henley
Post by Dennis E. Coates, Ph.D., Copyright 2012. Building Personal Strength .
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