“Habit is the deepest law of human nature.”
Thomas Carlyle, The Ancient Monk
It is said that “every man is the maker of his own fate”, but what is it that allows one man’s fate to be full of successes and glories while others are consumed by failures and disappointments? Many answers could be given to this question, but one answer stands above the rest: it is our habits. For good or ill, our habits shape us – they exert such a strong influence on the course of our life that some have wondered whether we possess our habits or whether our habits possess us. If we desire to change, to improve our life, and to accomplish worthwhile goals, then optimizing our habits is the place to start. In this 2-part series we are going to explore the power of habit and the process of habit formation. In the first video we are going to discuss the benefits associated with optimizing the habitual side of our life while also looking at how we can rid ourselves of self-destructive habits. In the second video we are going to explore an effective technique for forming new habits, a technique that has the potential to dramatically improve the lives of those who make use of it.
“Healthy habitual behaviors stabilize us in stressful times. If you don’t have a habitual base of self-supporting behaviors, what do you think happens when your world is rocked? Habits are known wins, and a distressed mind wants and needs nothing more than a known win. If you don’t have an internal foundation of good habits, then you will seek the only thing within your reach—bad habits. Whereas good habits help us recover from hard times, bad habits can deepen negative spirals.”
Stephen Guise, Elastic Habits
