Development Solutions Consultancy

We are all creatures of habit; and habits really do make or break us. By definition a habit is an action that we repeatedly do without giving it any conscious thought. It’s something we automatically do. Our habits are also our physical manifestation of our mental behaviors. It is not our circumstances but our actions that determine our results. When we consistently and repeatedly engage ourselves into an action for a prolonged period of time, it then becomes the way we behave. Our actions consequently shape the circumstances in our lives. Therefore, it is in our best interest to consistently take action that is in line with the good that we desire otherwise we shall not be able to achieve our goals in life.

Good habits may be challenging to develop but very easy to live with as they naturally support personal advancement. Bad habits on the other hand are not only very easy to develop but also very hard to live with and very difficult to shed off. Acquiring a bad habit is like being trapped. A bad habit is really a negative behavioral pattern such as being extravagant or procrastinating. And so it’s much easier to form bad habits than it is to form good habits such as being more proactive, properly handling finances, focusing on good performance in your job or consistently taking goal oriented action. Yet everyone would like to succeed in life. Good intentions are not enough for one to succeed in life; behavioral change is key.

Everybody desires greater good in their lives but unfortunately most people sabotage themselves by getting in their own way. They behave in ways that are inconsistent with their desires. This often starts with negative thinking which then inevitably leads to taking wrong action. For instance we can want to become successful but a habit of being lazy or doubting ourselves can hold us back. Succeeding in today’s workplace requires us to practice good work habits but we keep doing the opposite. The good news is that new habits can be learned and old habits can be replaced. Understanding how habits are formed can greatly aid us in making the transition to form new good ones.

Forming new good habits sets us on the right path towards success. Therefore to improve our lives, we first have to get clear about what we want, find out what actions we need to take in order to get there and then turn those actions into habits by deliberately and repeatedly doing them on a consistent basis. Once we consciously engage in consistently taking right actions, it will get to a point after a short period of time where it will become automatic and success will be guaranteed. Studies have a shown that it may take 21 days to 3 months of consistently taking a certain action for it to become a habit. Once good habits are formed, life certainly gets much easier and more fulfilling.