Trashy Habits

I’m not a fan of any trash in my car. Nope. Can’t stand it.

But I do love coffee, especially Starbucks – anything bold. And I like to save money, too.

Several years ago, Starbucks had a promotion that if you bring in an empty bag of Starbucks coffee grounds to any of their retail stores, you’ll get a free coffee. I’m in!

So, after we finished our weekly bag of coffee, I grabbed the Starbucks bag and put it in the car.? My intention was to bring it in for that next free coffee. Probably tomorrow. Good plan.

Only, I didn’t get to a Starbucks for weeks. But through those weeks, I had that nasty, irritating bag of coffee – garbage - still in my car.

Finally, the occasion arose to stop at Starbucks for a little “work” time on the road. It was perfect. I’d stop in, trade my trash for my free coffee and then settle in for some quality work time.

I got out with my garbage in hand – happy to have it out of the car – and promptly dropped it in the trash container just outside the store. I walked in, ready for my free cup, only to realize I just tossed it!?

Well, at least it wasn’t in my car anymore. I paid for my coffee and pondered my mindless mistake.? And never saved another Starbucks coffee bag again.?

According to Charles Duhigg in his book,?The Power of Habit, we make 40% of our decisions every day out of pure habit.? We don’t think about it; we just do it. ?My habit was a clean car. Not a bad habit, but it superseded my intention of the free coffee. I didn’t think about it; I just did it.

In some ways that’s good, but in so many others, it’s not. Money habits, gossip habits, health habits, nutrition habits, listening habits, confrontational habits – most are subconsciously executed. The question is whether they’re productive or not. And if not, time to change. Which takes a deliberate, proactive mindset.

Choose habits wisely! I lost a free coffee and worse, carried around a bag of garbage in my car for nothing!