Let us talk a little bit about the question of the habits we inculcate. We often underrate the potency of habits in our lives. We are oblivious of the fact that our habits become our character which in turn create our identity. 'What daily habits do I inculcate?' This is the great question.
I like what Lao Tzu said: Watch your thoughts, they become your words; watch your words, they become your actions; watch your actions, they become your habits; watch your habits, they become your character; watch your character, it becomes your destiny.
If this is true, and I have not found a way of disagreeing with the position since I encountered it over ten years ago, then it means that we are truly responsible for how we turn out. We create the lives we have. We produce what we deliver. And we do so often ignorantly one day at a time.
What does a reading habit do for us? It informs our minds. What does a problem solving habit do for us? It makes us proactive and reactive solutions providers. In other words, it helps us avoid problems and when we are not able to prevent problems from happening, we are on ground to fix the problems that happen.
What does an execution habit do for us? It helps us follow up on activities required to produce things. Without execution, no idea can come alive. We are not able to manifest things. What does the habit of supporting others do for us? It helps us collaborate effectively by first helping us build competencies through independence. We are therefore able to support others well.
On the reverse, what does the habit of gossip do to us? It creates schism, causes divisions, wastes our time, sends out negative vibes, energies and returns same. It is a waste of ever scarce resources that can never be recouped.
What does a philandering habit do to us? It creates an identity of waste, such waste that brings a man to a piece of bread, and recklessness. It breeds a lying character and attitude, for lies and debauchery are the mainstay of a philanderer.
The question is: what habits do you daily inculcate? What character does it build in you? What identity does it create for you, and what destiny of you does it unveil to the world? Where does it lead you?
Look within you. Look around you. What patterns are present? What outcomes do you have? What needs to change? What needs to remain? What paradigms need to shift? Mind you that paradigms are programs that run in your subconscious mind, and you actually programmed your mind with the programs from the environment.
Sometimes, too, it is because of your upbringing. Now, the upbringing thing is not something you cannot do something about. You can, if you can sacrifice to a deliberate reprogramming of your own mind. You can cause a shift if you are willing to commit to the regime.
You can make your life exactly what you envisage. You can either make it interesting or uninteresting. You can make it complex or simple. It depends on what you envisage and picture of yourself. But you have to act yourself into it. You have to consistently create your reality.
You have to sacrifice this life you have to create the life you seek and desire. Except a seed of corn falls to the ground and dies, it abides alone because only in death can it reproduce itself. Why then do you fear?
