“Choose the life that is most useful, and habit will make it the most agreeable.” —Sir Francis Bacon

Make a Habit of Success

 The world is a great place. It’s too bad there are so many people who see only unhappiness. Everywhere you turn, you find situations, people, and circumstances that would make your life miserable if you let them. You don’t have to pay keen attention to hear all the news about situations and people who are unhappy.  If you allow it to, all this negativity can damage your success and your practice.

Fortunately, you do not have to let the negativity affect you. With just a little effort, you can keep the bright light trained on the world and your situation. This does not mean you have to ignore the world or the difficulties you face; it means simply that you don’t have to let them control you.

You can take control of your life and your practice.  Epictetus, the first-century philosopher, reminds us that, “Men are disturbed not by things, but by the view which they take of them.”  The “Greats” say be your private self in public and your public self in private and you too will be great.  You build a successful practice through the consistency of the behavior you demonstrate.

It takes at least twenty-one days to form a habit.  Do something for at least twenty-one days and it begins to become part of your everyday routine – a habit.  Success is a habit that can be formed just like any other habit.

There are eight traits that successful individuals cultivate as habits.  They are a Caring Attitude, Accountability, Reliability, Friendship, Fellowship, High Hopes, Courage, and Faith.  Set time aside to reflect on each of these successful traits over the next twenty-one days and look for every opportunity to demonstrate them in your practice.

Commit to Making Success A Habit

Creating a habit is a process that takes time.  For change to be permanent and successful, it’s best to make a few small changes over time.  Think about each success habit.  Think about where you want to be three months from now.  Set specific goals that will help you get to where you want to be.  Prioritize those qualities that resonate most with where you are in your life and practice today and focus on turning them into habits.  Commit to continuing to practice all the eight habits and see what powerful tools they can become!

You can’t build your practice as a mechanical pursuit; you must also master the habits of success. Draw strength from the words of Abraham Lincoln, “You can have anything you want if you want it badly enough. You can be anything you want to be, do anything you set out to accomplish if you hold to that desire with a singleness of purpose.”