Habits

Habits

How many habits do we have?  Let me count the ways.

In his wonderful book – The Power of Habit, Charles Duhigg

tells us this: 

“More than 40 percent of the actions people perform each day weren’t actual decisions, but habits.”

I’ve head Denis Waitley, motivational speaker and author, tell this story.

On the Saturday before Easter, he and his wife were busily preparing the family feast for the next day.  As the ham was being prepared and about to be put into the baking dish, his wife said, “Don’t forget to cut the ends off the ham.”

Being the inquisitive man he is, Denis asked why. 

His wife, Susan, replied, “Because that is what my Mom always did.”

Again “why?”

I don’t know.  Let’s call Mom.

When Mom came on the phone, she replied, “Because that’s what my Mom always did.”

Why?

They called Grandma.

When they posed the question to Grandma as to why she cut the ends off the ham before baking it, she replied, “Because my baking dish is too small.”

That is truly a funny story, yet it demonstrates how some habits are handed down. 

My point is this:  Habits can be good, even great.  It can help us keep up with keys, wallet, hats and purses.  We do the same motion each time we handle these items.  They become habits and we can always find them.

I have often said, “I’m a creature of habit.”  I have routines and logical ways of doing things.”  And if I lose something momentarily, I’ll retrace my habitual ways of acting and can usually find the misplaced item.

This is more a post on “thinking” about habits rather than changing or eliminating habits.  For that, you may want to read Mr. Duhigg’s book, or others on the subject.

A final thought:  Just last night I was working on a small wood project.  I kept losing tracking of the small screws and support brackets I was using because I haven’t developed good enough habits for projects such as this.  Give me a set of drums and my old habits kick in pretty easily.

See the difference? 

Habits can be good – and they can be nemesis. 

Choose … WISELY!

This is my

morning reflection.

Morning Notes Blog Site

P Michael Biggs

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