The Right Tool Makes Tasks Easier. Use The Power Of Habit To Make Big Changes.

This page will make the behavioral scientists and PHD level, mind experts howl with derision. We won't provide you with reams of data followed by deep-thought hypothesis. What we will share is personal experience with the power of habit.

It's our contention that of all the things, events, and happenings, nothing affects our stress levels, our performance, and our quality of life as much as habits. Now that is a bold statement. Here's another one. All those articles about how to stop bad habits are a waste of time.

Those opening paragraphs might cause some to vehemently disagree, but lets look a little deeper into why we might be on to something.

The Power of Habit Is Amoral

In our page about morality and ethics, we wrote that there are baseline truths that determine things that are right are always right and things that are wrong are always wrong. Morality in the form of our conscience tells us very directly if we are doing something wrong.

Habits have no moral quality. There are no good habits or bad habits. You might be doing bad things over and over, but the focus there is on the act. Habits are merely repetition.

I am a procrastinator. I'm really good at procrastinating. You will read in many places where we shouldn't "negative self-talk" like that about ourselves. That's bull. I know I'm a procrastinator. It's become a habit and trying to tell myself something different has no productive value. It won't help. The power of habit took over the act of procrastination.

This would be a great time to tell you how to stop bad habits. This is where I should tell you how I stopped procrastinating so you can do the same for any habit you might want to break.

Our brains will do what we tell them to do. We don't stop bad habits. Instead, we give our brain something else to focus on and our brain will do that. If you are really scared about something and are told to "not think about it" what do you do? Of course. You think about it even more.

Our brains are problem-solvers. In my case, I gave my brain something to work on that took the place of procrastination. I gave it a positive goal that I really wanted to accomplish. My focus turned to completing that goal. It might seem too simple, but the power of habit is that strong. If you harness that power, it will work for you. Every time.

Do These Things

* Stop trying to break "bad" habits. Telling your brain not to do something isn't clear direction. Instead, give your brain something else to work on and it will happen. Doing something you like to do is easier than trying to bypass something you don't want to do. Keep things simple.

* Figure out why you are doing things that hold you back and have become habits. I procrastinated because I was trying to get out of doing the biggest task ahead of me. So I moved that to the top of the list. I still procrastinate, but I do it later. I made procrastinating in my procrastination a powerful habit.

Habits are tools, nothing else. Our job is to pick the right tool for the job. You might be reading this page and thinking this will never apply to me, not in my situation. It will work for you. It works for everyone who works it. Sometimes we make things too hard. We over-think problems.

If you find yourself in a habit that you think isn't helping you, don't waste time trying to stop that habit. Instead decide what would help you and make that your habit.

I know most of you have read this poem before, but is is worth reading again.

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