The chains of habit are too light to be felt…

until they are too heavy to be broken

Which two, among a thousand wise men, would describe success in the same way?

Yet failure is always described but one way. Failure is man’s inability to reach his goals in life, whatever they may be. In truth the only difference between those who have failed and those who have succeeded lies in the difference of their habits. Good habits are the key to all success. Bad habits are the unlocked door to failure.

As a child, I was slave to my impulses. Now as an adult, I am slave to my habits. The past deeds of my life have already marked out a path that threatens to imprison my future. My actions are ruled by appetite, passion, prejudice, greed, love, fear, environment, habit and the worst of these tyrants is habit. Therefore if I must be a slave to habit, let me be a slave to good habits. My bad habits must be destroyed and the path laid for new habits to be formed. It is one of nature’s laws that only a habit can subdue another habit.

I will form good habits and become their slave. It takes an average of 22 days to form a new habit and in truth, it is best to form only one habit at a time. I will give it space to sink in and become part of my life before moving onto the next habit.

And given this universal truth, which habits do I choose to cultivate in my life?

READ:

* I will read each day and fill my mind with new ideas that challenge and inspire me. I will not listen to the radio which brings only bad news to my ears. I will not mindlessly listen to the same songs over and over again. I will turn my car into a university and listen to audio books that will bring different thoughts and ideas to my mind. I will listen to audio books that teach and guide me and I will learn from the masters who have gone before me.

When an act is easy to perform through constant repetition, it becomes a pleasure to perform and if it is a pleasure, it is man’s nature to perform it often. When I perform it often I become it’s slave and since it is a good habit, this is my will.

GRATITUDE:

* I will greet each day with gratitude in my heart. I will focus on all I do have and not feel sadness or pain for that which I do not have. Gratitude turns what you have into enough and when I am grateful, the universe will give me more to be grateful about.

FITNESS:

* I will move my body in ways that are a pleasure to me. Fitness and strength are our birthright and feeling strong and fit will help me endure the slings and arrows life will throw my way. I will create a schedule from which I will not deviate. I will run every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday morning and be grateful that I can run, that I can feel my lungs gasping for air and my legs begging for mercy. I will run so that I can feel alive.

APPRECIATION:

* I will live this day as if it were my last. If I were to waste today, I could be destroying the last page of my life. I will drink every minute to it’s fullest. I will savour it and give thanks.

LAUGHTER:

* I will laugh at the world and at myself. When things feel too heavy or stressful, I will remind myself that this too shall pass. I will train myself to say these words when I can feel my good humor departing and they will carry me through life and help me maintain my balance. I will laugh at the world. Happiness is the wine that sharpens the taste of the meal. Only with happiness and laughter can I truly become a success.

ACTION:

* I will act now. My procrastination has held me back born of fear. To conquer fear, I must always act without hesitation and the flutters in my heart will vanish. My alarm clock is now an opportunity clock, it tells me there is another opportunity to enjoy another day. Another opportunity to leap out of bed and act. I will act now.

I will commit to my new habits and know that the time spent learning them is but a small price to pay for the happiness and success that will be mine.

We all go through life in a fairly unconscious sort of way. I took a long look at my life to see which habits no longer serve me. What habits should you cultivate as a way to change your life, as a way to step up to the greatness that lies within you?

Daily habits, tiny routines that are repeatable, are what make big dreams a reality. Let’s work together to form good habits and become their slave.

With special thanks to Og Mandino, The Greatest Salesman in the World