“We are what we repeatedly do”
The wise words from Aristotle echo the somberness of a truth which keeps its universal nature unharmed yet somehow fails to imbed in our consciousness. Habit brings discipline, organization and stability in life. All these are ingredients to a successful life. By success, my definition is not restricted to monetary and status gains but having contentment and happiness in life.
Human beings are the laziest versions of living beings. Almost every one of us desires to have someone to do our chores or complete our work while we leisure on the couch back at home. But even then there are things that require our participation. What if instead of designing servant robots in our fantasies we actually equip ourselves enough to have a life we always seek for? It is not true that without discipline and organization life goes completely haywire but with the presence of the same, challenges look gullible. So to reach that level human beings must not only cultivate good habits but stick to them and about how, let’s consider the following tips.
Take one step at a time
You have lately come up with an idea and your motivation has fueled you up for doing it. Well a stimulus is not enough and what needs to be understood is things will not change overnight. The result lies in constant follow-ups. Over motivation could sabotage the whole idea. You might achieve more than your target on day one but then, as per human psychology, the motivation eventually starts fading and the whole plan stoops down to a mere failure. So, be determined but be ready with a sketch of your plan in case you want your habit for the long run. Keep it slow but steady; it will win you the race.
Be consistent
Consistency brings a lot to the plate. It needs patience, tolerance and a vision. You will not achieve the desirable if you lack the ability to visualize what your heart really wants. Sticking to a habit isn’t difficult if you rehearse the same everyday with a consistence which might have startled you before. Like if you start learning a new language, your efforts should be a daily activity. Practicing it twice or thrice a month will not bring the preferred result. Also, consistency adapts a human into a particular pattern with factors like time, weather, environment, etc. affecting it.
Set a reminder
Your doctor has prescribed you a medicine for the rest of the year and you confidently accept the responsibility of going by the prescription orders. Yet after the initial weeks you might forget about it and slip off of your commitment. To save oneself from such a situation, set a reminder according to your convenience so that it could poke you daily at the chosen particular hour until you don’t need the indications anymore.
Design a trigger
Remember how our teachers from primary schools used trigger words to make us get acquainted with something new? Similarly when you start working on a new habit, design a trigger for yourself. You had your own routine and suddenly it demands an unavoidable change overnight. Since that cannot happen, we generally associate the respective practice with something that could influence our cognizance in a way that we adopt it finally. Like if you wished to work on your obesity but then you also love food, you may keep a picture of your favorite dress that you want to fit in at the Prom night.
Find a partner
If you can have partners in crime, then you can also make partners for habits. It is amazing how finding someone with habits alike yours works like magic. A companion as such will not only keep you motivated as and when you feel like quitting but also could offer some fun in your tedious routine. A like-minded friend will help you get out of your empty resolutions.
It may not sound challenging but developing habits for the long-run is indeed a tough task. With perseverance and determination, anything is possible. Building better habits is like giving yourself a chance to rearrange your life and step out as a better person. If this looks like an opportunity for some self-pampering then why not. After all, in a world of such width we often forget to love ourselves, in the right way.
