HOW WE FORM HABITS

We are all human beings, but what differentiates us is our habits. The habits we form make a big difference in our lives. That means until we know how we form habits and how we can eliminate bad habits, we cannot change our lives.

Brain Tracy said, “Successful people are simply those with successful habit.” That means, the difference between the rich and the poor is habits; the difference between the successful and the unsuccessful is habits; the difference between the great and the mediocre is habits! To change your lives and make a difference in this world, we need to know the components of habits and how we form habits.

So, what is a habit?

The Cambridge Dictionary says, “Something you do often and regularly without knowing that you are doing it.” In other words, a habit is a daily routine that is practiced unconsciously, producing consistent results in a person’s life.

Related article: How Bad Habits Corrupts Students Destiny

Charges Duhigg, the bestselling author of Power of Habits said, “A habit is a formula our brain automatically follows: When I see CUE, I will do ROUTINE in order to get REWARD”. This definition basically explains the component and the operation of habit!

A habit has three components:

                    ·        The Cue—what triggers, motivates and makes us follow a routine.

·       The Routine—the pattern of behaviour or conduct that we follow.

·       The Reward—the benefit or the result we get by following the routine.

So how do we form habits?

Every habit is formed through a trigger. We need something in our lives that makes us to do the things we do to get those results. This is the root cause of every habit—the trigger. You go to work because you want to make money.

“Making money”—the trigger— is what causes you to work up daily to go to work! “Going to work”— is your routine. “You are paid by the end of the month, you become happy”—the reward—this motivates you to keep the habit. As long as everything goes right, you will keep your job for life.

To become an entrepreneur one day, you must have another trigger. Something must then trigger you to conceive a business, start the business and build the business. That is what is called entrepreneurial mission.

Once your trigger and purpose changes, it will change your routine and that will ultimately change your rewards! So, to form new habits, simply question your cue, determine new actions and reward yourself when you follow through on the new habit. This is ultimately how we form habits!

Learn more from my latest book: 7 Habit of Highly Successful Students!