Habits Articles

Our habits, good or bad, are developed over our lifetime. They reflect the things we believe, the things we read and listen to, and our choices in friends. Our lives are defined by our habits. Every habit you possess has been developed. You don’t have any habits that came to you at birth. I often say that a birth certificate gives people the right to achieve their dreams, but a birth certificate does not give you a set of habits that will ultimately structure your life. Thos

Surprisingly enough, setting goals may actually hinder your chances of life-long success! Let me begin by saying that goal setting is wickedly effective. In other words, if you desire an outcome, and make it a goal, the odds are extremely likely that you’ll achieve it. And therein lies the problem. Let me explain. If you decide you want to drive your car from your house to the city, that’s a goal. You likely don’t give it a second thought. You just decide and then execute. We all set and achieve hundreds of these kinds of goals every day. These are not the goals I’m referring to.

Throughout the ages, it’s the notable speakers and orators who have charted the course of history; from Aristotle to Jesus, down through Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, Gandhi and Martin Luther King. Great speakers and their speeches have inspired, moved and motivated individuals, armies and nations. The memorable speeches and the people who delivered them represent mileposts in mankind’s evolution. Is it any wonder that we tend to think of speakers and speech as being all powerful?

If I asked you whatinner beliefs you hold deep within your mind will you be able to answer with any accuracy? If you couldn't, then don't worry, this is a question that many people have difficulty knowing the real answer to. To find out what are the true inner beliefs you have stored away deep within your mind then you don't have to look very far In fact you only have to look as far as your external surroundings and your life results. All this will provide you with the precis

You can do all of those small chores and be finished in no time at all, instead of counting days to get a job done. Stop saying that you don't have any time to get your work done, now you can count how many TV shows it will take, for you to reach your goal! How many times have you said, "I don't have time to get all of the 'little' jobs done around the house?" Just think of all of the things that you can do, while watching your favorite TV show!

The alarm was set for six … as if that was necessary. I was awake long before, in fact, I’m not too sure I even slept. Today is the day I’m going to face a bad fear – which by my definition is simply a fear I want to overcome – a fear of skydiving. With a two hour drive ahead of us, Michele and I were on our way by seven am. The forecast is hot and sunny.

This time of year, it’s worth considering several valuable lessons we can learn from Charles Dickens’ memorable miser, Ebenezer Scrooge. In A Christmas Carol, Scrooge comes face-to-face with the effects of his lifetime of negative habits and attitudes when a series of ghosts show ...

Eating on the run. Cellphoning while driving. Email avalanches. Distracted living. We prize knowledge work, yet have little time to think. We can contact millions of people worldwide, but have trouble sitting down to chat or eat with those we love. In this wondrous, high-tech, hyper-mobile age, something crucial is missing: attention -- the key to recapturing our ability to connect, reflect, and relax; the secret to coping with an overloaded, boundary-less world. What's neede

Stress is an emotional and physical response to exte al factors, and lessening stress is the secret to a longer, healthier, life. We know that stress isn't good for us, and we know that everyone experiences stress every day, but once we're aware of how long-lasting stress impacts our physical body, we realise that it's important to find ways to manage and reduce stress to remain healthy.

5 Great Phoning Tips Everyone Can Use! With e-mails, tweets, blogs, texts and other easy electronic forms of communication becoming more mainstream, I couldn’t help but think now might be a great time for some old-fashioned, back to the basics, and tried and true tips for PHONING! Everyone still uses the phone from time to time, but it’s those that still embrace it that might surprisingly have the edge over you techno-geeks. No offense to the geeks out there! I too used t

I have some good news for you. You're off the hook. Poor follow through is not exactly your fault. You've been relying on faulty equipment. Poor follow through is caused primarily by the mixed up way the normal mind is designed. Although we humans are endowed with impressive intelligence that allows us to figure out what we should do to make our lives as good as they can possibly be, surprisingly, there's no built-in mechanism that guarantees that our intelligence will actually control our behavior.

There is something very magical that we were all blessed with at birth…and that is the ability to envision something and turn it into a reality for our business which I like to call, ‘Vision Marketing’. If you can see yourself doing a certain something in your mind, you can make it happen. It’s totally within your reach. Vision Marketing is nothing more that the act of creating A mental image in your mind that was produced by your imagination. In anything that you do

Some people have bad habits they can't easily break. Bad habits are things that could hinder your advancement and self-growth. Do you want to break free of your bad habit? A short verse Sow an act, reap a habit; Sow a habit, reap a character; Sow a character, reap a destiny. Do you want to live fully and effectively without unnecessary baggage? Then read the tips below to get rid of any bad habits that could help 1. Decide to quit, and make it firm. The decision should come from you - from deep within you. It should not be because somebody told you so.

“When I have found intense pain relieved, a weary brain soothed, and calm, refreshing sleep obtained by a cigar, I have felt grateful to God, and have blessed His name.” nnThose words were reportedly spoken by the British Baptist preacher Charles Haddon Spurgeon, a famous smoker and the “Prince of Preachers” who founded the charity organization known as Spurgeon’s. Spurgeon’s love of smoking is shared by many people.nnDrew Barrymore started

I thought smoking sixty cigarettes a day was just about the limit of human endurance until I started to wake up at night to “enjoy” just one more! I took up smoking when I was fourteen and by the age of sixtee I was a “committed” smoker. Within three years I had managed to ratchet my daily intake of cigarettes to two packs per day, and by the time I was twenty-one, I was up to three packs a day.

This book review is part of a series that covers the topic of Habits. Habits are recurrent, often unconscious patterns of behavior that are acquired through frequent repetition. The section is dedicated to resources on both positive and negative habits and how to live with your habits. Dan Robey is the Official Guide to Habits .nn The Now Habit: A Strategic Program for Overcoming Procrastination and Enjoying Guilt-Free Play , by Neil A. Fiore, is a valuable resource for peopl

Really. What do you want more of in your life? More peace? More time off? More fun? More inner tranquility? Unless we identify what it is that we truly want, we tend to be so caught up in daily life that we don't even think about what will make us truly happy. Today, ask yourself what you want more of in your life and then live with the question all day: How can I have more ______ in my life? Just ask; don't worry about an answer.

Successful people have developed success habits. Those are the people you want to study and emulate. Do what they do. Read what they read. If they are local see if you can take them to lunch and ask questions. If not get a hold of some of the things they have written about or listen to them. Most successful people enjoy the opportunity to coach people along and to help them become successful. It is there way of giving back. The trouble is most people won’t ask. They come up

As a mom with four children, all of whom were thumbsuckers when small, and all of whom stopped the habit in different ways at different ages, I understand the frustration many parents feel when trying to help their young child overcome this habit. "David Decides About Thumbsucking" by Susan Heitler, Ph.D (printed by LK Printing Service, Inc.), is a useful tool parents can use to make sound decisions about helping their own child stop their thumbsucking habit. This book was

The CEO and the Yellow Notepad...how it Changed Everything! It was just a Yellow, Legal sized Notepad,nbut it made this millionaire CEO's sales forcenmore productive, less stressed and nhappier, at work and at home. How could a simple yellow notepad have such power? Here is the story: The ...

Are there days when you wish your home filings system ran a faster and easier? You may work from home or only use your home filing system to store and organize the essential documents, bills, and receipts of your home either way you probably access your home filing system every day, or you should be if you were maintaining your system! Here are five easy suggestions that you can start using TODAY to create a faster better system. Get What You Need Quicklyr Quickly being able

People like to buy but they don't like to be sold! n Have you ever walked into a store with the intention to purchase something and when the sales person walks up and asks "can I help you?" we respond "No thanks, just looking" as we walk away and avoid eye contact. So how do you sell someone ...

Have you ever heard the expression,” Quit banging your head against the wall!” It’s an old expression my Mom used that basically translates into: There are certain things we do that are as productive and healthy as banging your head against the wall. nnThe interesting thing about the banging-your-head-against-the-wall, hereafter known as HBS, is its tendency to repeat itself. Which brings up another voice from my childhood: “When will you learn?” As in: “How many

Habits are Powerful; they truly are. Twelve years ago, a typical Barbadian morning for me began at the brisk hour of 4:30am. As a member of the Pine Hill Alpha Sharks Swim Team and an occasional member of the Barbadian National Swim Team, I was in the habit of training my body into peak performance, while most others were asleep. My routine began with a sleepy 25 minute drive to the Aquatic Center in Barbados, where I trained for 2 hours, with the other committed swimmers fro

Why is change so hard? We say we want to change a particular behavior. We know we will benefit from the change. Yet, we continue to do what we’ve always done and we continue to get the same results we’ve always gotten. And, the longer we do it, the more frustrated and disappointed in ...

I wrote last time about how our limbic systems are constantly on high alert, ready to activate the stress response at the sign of a threat. That’s a good thing when we’re in physical danger. But unfortunately it also can turn on in traffic jams, layoffs, arguments with our loved ones…you fill in your favorite stressor.

Have you ever tried creating a new habit, such as eating only healthy food, only to find yourself unable to exert the self-control needed to make the habit permanent? It's not your imagination that you "run out" of willpower! When you try to improve an aspect of yourself, you face a dilemma. The positive change you're making will likely result in increased happiness and well-being. But to create the change, you must exercise self-discipline. Once the new action becomes habitu

Bad habits are very easy to develop, but can be extremely hard to stop. Nevertheless, it is not mission impossible. As with achieving any goal, stopping a bad habit begins with a single step. And while that step is hard to take, it does get easier after that. Once you are willing to make the change and will work on taking the proper steps, you will see that you can break any habit. And once the bad habit is broken, it could be replaced with a healthier one. Tips on Breaking B

Research by psychology professors Richard G. Tedeschi and Lawrence Calhoun shows that not only do we have the ability to grow through the challenges of our life, what they call post-traumatic growth, but the benefits of doing so include improved relationships, new possibilities for our lives, a greater appreciation for life, a greater sense of personal strength, and spiritual development. Not bad rewards, I’d say. So how do we cultivate resilience?

As I’ve written about before, our brains are not always our friends. They have various habits that can really get in our way. One is what’s called bifurcating, the tendency to think in either/or: either I am happy or I’m sad; either I am trying hard or I’m giving up; either I am a success or a failure. But human beings—and reality itself—is much more multifaceted than this mind tendency would have us be. We can be in more than one emotional state or hold opposing thoughts at the same time, and our actions can spring from a variety of conflicting motivations.

Candles having a sensual, comforting and stimulating are definitely the best smelling candles. It is beyond imagination how life would be without candles. They have a long lasting and environmental friendly fragrance. The life span of candles is quite short but they are available for a few dollars and give you satisfaction with the scents it releases spreading around your home. These can be used in many ways but the most common is their use as wonderful gifts. In choosing a g

Most of us like routine. Life is just a little easier when the way we spend our time is dictated by exte al demands. When we have a job, we have a built in routine. We know just when to get up in the morning, how much time we have to get ready, when we need to leave to get to work at a ...

In Greek mythology, when Pandora opened the box and let out all the troubles that have since plagued the world, she also let out a tiny fairy who said, “Yes, it is true that you have unleashed all manner of afflictions upon the world, but you have also let me out. I am Hope and will always be there to bring hope to humans, whenever they are in trouble.” This myth goes to the heart of the truth that it’s difficult to endure hardships without hope.

Think about the word "choose."nnIt may be the single most important word in your life. nnWhy?nnLet's look at what the dictionary says about the word "choose" nn1. to select from a number of possibilities; pick by preference:nExample: She chose Sunday for her departure. n2. to prefer or decide (to do something): Example: He chose to run for election. n3. to want; desire. n4. to make a choice: Example: He chose carefully. n5. to be inclined: Example: You may stay here, if you c

As you know, last month I offered a free tele-seminar call, where I announced a new online Master Coaching program. My vision was clear and powerful: people would listen to the call, get as excited about the content as I am, feel incredibly inspired and deliriously motivated and the class would fill within the first week. But that didn't happen. Sure, people listened to the call. But not a single person signed up for the program. And I was devastated. How could I put so much

Hang out with positive people Avoid negative people Hang up pictures of loved ones Call a friendr Call a relative you haven't been in touch with for a long time just to say "Hi, I was thinking about you!" Smile at someoner Acknowledge a complete stranger with a greetings, good morning, etc Whenever you hear an ambulance or police siren, silently wish everyone wellr Sing!

Balance. We all strive for it. We want to feel at peace, and yet we live in perpetual production mode, trying to get everything on our “to do” list accomplished while yearning for ‘something more’. We tell ourselves we’ll slow down as soon as… (fill in the blank). To make matters worse, when we ...

Yes, even hackers care what their children do online. As for those who are immersed in the technology industry, their caution concerning the online activities of their children makes sense as well; as people highly invested in tech, they know exactly what lurks on the internet. Yet not all safety suggestions fit every age group. The smartphone or tablet you hand your toddler will need different precautions than the one your teenager owns. With that in mind, I have segregated

When creating a new company, naming a product, or rolling out a service, the way that you brand the benefits can often make more of an impact than conveying any actual features. A good brand can motivate a target market in a desired way, in fact branding is often defined as a set of beliefs ...

Extreme effort is needed to stop the unmanageable desire for food. Therefore, improve your fighting skills to overcome compulsive actions. This fight is for freedom; refuse to fail. You can feel ardent emotions and choose not to give in. Order yourself, “I refuse to quit. I will not budge. I refuse to fail.” During the emotional turmoil caused by enticement, ask yourself, “what do I really want?” Eating to unwind is not what you want. What you really d

What is authenticity and why is it important to leadership? Leadership isn’t something we do in response to our circumstances. It’s a way of being. You don’t DO leadership. You ARE a leader. Leadership comes from within. It is an ongoing and consistent expression of who we are that inspires ...

Everywhere you go, you find articles which tells you how to improve your life, books telling you what you have not been doing for your life to be what you want it to be, and pamphlets to meetings to discuss those books, what you do not come across often is what not to do. Or what you are doing is wrong. You should have guessed it by now that this is about what not to do to enhance your life. Do not jump to conclusions: Jumping to conclusions tends to make you think you know w

If you’ve been listening to the news lately, you may have come to the conclusion that the outlook at the moment is bleak. You may be caught up in the gloom and doom, hopeless mindset that is more contagious than a flu pandemic. There are some things you can do to keep yourself healthy when everyone around you shares their negativity and to help prevent the spread of the dis-ease. Inoculate – To keep your mind and body healthy, it is important to first inoculate yourself by

Self trust is a virtue, like patience, that has been all but lost in the exte ally focused society that has increasingly evolved over the past fifty years or so. It is the capacity to know ourselves deeply and to rely on ourselves confidently as the source of our decisions.

Is your room cramped? If you feel claustrophobic, or if it is basically too small for your liking, the first thing you might want to look at are your living habits? Are papers lying around? Are the table tops piled high with miscellaneous clutter? The first thing you should do in a cramped space is to declutter. Get rid of all the things you don't need. As for what you really need, plan out where you can keep them so that you have as many clear surfaces as possible nnin th

What makes smoking dangerous? What chemicals are found in cigarettes that make smoking a deadly habit? nnCigarettes are made from dried tobacco leaves that contain over 4,000 chemicals including ingredients that are added for flavor. Of that number, 60 are known carcinogens or cancer-causing agents. In addition, tobacco and tobacco smoke have co-carcinogens that don't lead to cancer but can accelerate its growth.nn“There are hundreds of substances added to cigarettes by

Are you someone who is usually pressed for time? Do you possess the desire to live a life that is simple but includes quick, simple steps you can implement to enjoy a balanced, healthy lifestyle? You are probably aware that you have the power to be mindful and concentrate on employing positive affirmations; however, there are more things you can do. You will learn quick, easy steps you can take to stay more balanced in your life. Sharing love is one of the essential ingredie

I wonder if you've ever woken up in the morning and been determined to start another diet (and actually stick to it this time), but a co-worker or friend offers you some muffins or other yummy treats that seem absolutely impossible for you to resist? Your good intentions seem to immediately fly out of the window, along with those of everybody else around you, as you all immediately launch yourselves at the sweet, fattening treats, eager to get your sugary 'fix' to help you get through the day.

All high achieving, successful people possess successful habits. One of the most basic reasons why successful people are successful is because of their consistent habits and behaviors. The margin between success and failure can often be fine, but what often proves the difference is having successful positive habits. All the great leaders, pioneers, artists and entrepreneurs of our time have practices and routines that lend themselves to productivity, accomplishment and succes