“The Life You Have is a Reflection of the Thoughts You Think and the Habits You Have"

Back in High school, from Grades 8- 12, I remember clearly how our Physics Teacher would have us write the following in all our notebooks…

“Positive Thinkers Get Positive Results”

The first page of each our notebooks had to have this statement.. if not, that book grew wings and out the window it would fly.

True story.

In any event, I want to insert a small correction to his (probably borrowed) statement…

“Positive Thinkers with Positive Habits Get Positive Results”

And that’s what I want to share on… Building Positive Habits.

Why Build Habits?

It’s been proved (in a lab somewhere) that committing to good habits?allows you to free up your brain capacity to make better decisions over the long term.

Adopting constructive habits, big and small, allows you to do your best work causing you to be your prime mental state and also ensure you stay on track even when things get a bit difficult, challenging or chaotic around you.

Our habits - depending on whether they are positive or negative - will make or break us.

WHY?

Because…

“We are What We Repeatedly Do. Excellence, Then, Is Not An Act, But a Habit.” (- Not Aristotle)

It is, therefore, logical to conclude that in order to lead successful, influential lives... we need to Change our Thinking AND Develop Positive Habits… the two go hand in glove.

My mentor from a distance @Craig Groeschel and esteemed researcher and author, James Clear have shared loads more on this than I’m capable of doing...

But here’s what I’ve gleaned from them that perhaps will leave you with some questions to think about…?

Habits.

• What are some habits you need to let go of and what new habits do you need to adopt?
• In his bestseller, Atomic Habits, Author James Clear says, “Most of us have similar goals but ALL of us have completely different outcomes.”
• He goes on to say…. “Goals don’t determine success – systems and habits determine your success.”
• If you had to think about the goals you have for your life, they can be long or short term… Would you say you have you outlined a path… a system or daily habit that will get you to where you need to be?

Mindset.

• What we ought to do is choose to think differently. Set our minds differently. Develop a new Mindset.
• Instead of lazily changing the goal when we don’t see the immediate results we want, we would be in better shape if we change the system or process that almost certainly create the results we want.
• When we fix what we do in the day to day, when we stick to our daily consistent habits… the outcome automatically resets to fix itself.?

Think Big, Start Small.

What do you do when you don’t see progress fast enough – we make wrong conclusions: we assume that the small, daily decisions we make don’t matter that much. I’m here to tell you, that’s wrong thinking.

The Illusion of Success

Our lives, our success, is the sum total of the small decisions and daily positive habits we develop.

When you have the right habits, the right disciplines, the right systems in place… Your hard work, your Consistency, your Integrity, the Sacrifices you make when nobody sees… will never, ever be wasted. That’s a guarantee.

The key is to remain committed and consistent.

“It’s the work that no one sees, that brings the big results that everyone wants.” Craig Groeschel

Wise words Sir.

So, that’s said, based on who you want to be (Note, I didn’t say what you want to do in life) ... What One Habit do you need to Start immediately?

• Reframe your goals. Success is not defined by your goals...
• Success is not a single act, but a collection of positive and consistent habits.
• Build your external reputation, by starting internally.
• Get crystal clear on the steps you need to take.
• Get (constuctively)angry at the way things are. And have hope that things will get better.
• By showing up with your daily habits, you will show growth.
• Don't disqualify yourself, failure is not to be feared.
• Start to think different.
• Positive Thinkers > Positive Habits > Positive Results.

(Credit to: Kresen Samuel, Craig Groeschel and James Clear)