“I am your constant companion. I am your greatest helper or heaviest burden. I will push you onward or drag you down to failure. I am completely at your command. Half the things you do you might just as well turn over to me and I will be able to do them quickly and correctly. I am easily managed – you must merely be firm with me. Show me exactly how you want something done and after a few lessons I will do it automatically.
“I am the servant of all great men; and alas, of all failures as well. Those who are great, I have made great. Those who are failures, I have made failures. I am not a machine, though I work will all the precision of a machine plus the intelligence of a man. You may run me for profit or run me for ruin – it makes no difference to me. Take me, train me, be firm with me and I will place the world at your feet. Be easy with me and I will destroy you.
Who am I? I am habit!”
I keep asking myself, “What habits do I need to develop and what habits do I need to break in order to improve myself and serve those around me?” Nothing is more important for long-term transformation than cultivating good habits.
I start by asking, “When I am dead and gone, what do I want my wife, kids, friends, and colleagues to say about me?” Once I know this, I ask myself, “What do I need to do today to become that person?”
In other words I figure out who I want to be and then live that way on purpose.
Habits are how we cultivate the garden of our future. What habits do you need to cultivate now in order to cultivate the future you desire?
I remember I realized, “If I prepare myself for the greatest job I can imagine I will not be disappointed in the person I become whether I get the job or not.” That empowered me for action. I am not making decisions based on something that may or may not happen. I am making decisions based on the kind of person I want to become, not just the kind of job I want to have. The habits I develop develop me. So, if I want to become all I can be, then I need to cultivate the habits that will cultivate me.
Habits prepare me for opportunity. When opportunity comes it is too late to prepare.
Here are some practical steps to help cultivate new habits:
- Renew your mind. This will equip yourself with knowledge. I recommend reading a chapter of Proverbs every day. A couple of great books that have helped me are “The Power of Habit” and “Talent is Overrated.” These are well worth reading.
- Surround yourself with “winners.” Proverbs 13:20 tells us, “Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.”
- Be careful who you share your goals with.
- Some people will discourage you and tear you down.
- Sometimes we receive satisfaction just by talking about the goals without actually accomplishing them. Be careful not to fall into this trap.
- The most important conversation you will have is the one you have with yourself. Monitor the conversations you have in your own head.
- Remind yourself daily, sometimes multiple times a day, of your goals.
- Act now. Action creates its own momentum.
- Share what you are learning, this may inspire and help others reach their goals.
- Don’t give up at a momentary setback.
What habits do you need to cultivate to have your preferred future for yourself, your family, your career? By cultivating wise habits your best days are always before you. Let me know what you are doing to cultivate great habits.
Debbie and I serve as the FMI Global Associate Director for MENACA and Europe. We focus on cultivating disciples, leaders, and church planting movements.
