Growing New Habits

By Joan Burge

Success is 95% habit. Successful people are those who have developed good habits and follow them over and over. Unsuccessful people have poor habits or don’t have good habits. If you develop good habits, they become automatic. Spring certainly is the time to think about which new habits you want to grow. It’s also the time to get rid of weeds. Such as wasting time on tasks of low value, not being organized, poor communication skills or having a closed mind to new opportunities.  This week, work on weeding your garden and growing new habits. 

I guess the question you need to ask yourself is, “How do I develop good habits?”

1.       First you need to know what habits you should develop.  Take time to observe successful people inside and outside your organization. What do they do well?  And what do they just do?  Throughout the day, how do they use their time?  Where do they focus – on negative things or on being positive?

2.       Keep in mind that it takes about 21 days to feel semi-comfortable with something new.  Therefore, after a few days of trying something and not feeling it works, you need to say, “I’ll give this 21 says before passing judgment.”  Of course, you are not going to like it the first day or two or three!  New habits are not in your comfort zones. But you also don’t grow by staying in your comfort zones!

3.       You have to be willing to take a close look at yourself and identify gaps in your performance.  Surround yourself with peers and friends who have talents that don’t come naturally to you and learn from them.

4.       Persist.  Don’t get discouraged. As you grown new habits, new doors will open.  As you move through those doors, you will seek ways to stretch again and grow more new habits. Do you see what’s happening?  You are building many talents and skills that you can use as you go through life and you will be preparing for unexpected opportunities.

Have a great week!