The Story Behind Habits Die Hard (by simple truth)


habits

Here’s a little test to understand the power of our habits. Cross your arms as you normally would, and look down to see which one is on top. When I speak and do this exercise with audiences, invariably about half of the audience members will have their right arm on top (I do) and the other half will have their left on top. When you crossed your arms for the very first time, you might have been still in your playpen, and you’ve been crossing your arms the same way ever since. Now, cross your arms again, but this time put the wrong arm on top. It feels extremely weird! If I were to challenge you to cross your arms the “wrong” way for the rest of your life, could you do it? Probably. Would it be difficult? You bet it would!

Here’s the point: Habits—good or bad—are difficult to break. Aristotle said it best: “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence is not an act…it’s a habit.”

Here’s the reason I wanted to write this book with one of our best-selling authors, John Murphy. Not long ago, I read a short essay and said, “Wow, how true it is.” I shared it with John, and said, “We need to write a book on the power of habits.” Just reading the essay inspired both of us to move forward and today, I’d like to share it with you:

An excerpt from
Habits Die Hard
by Mac Anderson & John J. Murphy

I am your constant companion.
I am your greatest asset or heaviest burden.
I will push you up to success or down to disappointment.
I am at your command.
Half the things you do might just as well be turned over to me.
For I can do them quickly, correctly, and profitably.
I am easily managed; just be firm with me.
Those who are great, I have made great.
Those who are failures, I have made failures.
I am not a machine, though I work with the precision of a
machine and the intelligence of a person.
You can run me for profit, or you can run me for ruin.
Show me how you want it done. Educate me. Train me.
Lead me. Reward me.
And I will then…do it automatically.
I am your servant.
Who am I?
I am a habit.

Think about it. There is nothing that will shape your destiny more than your habits. Why is that true? Because you are invariably the sum of the choices you will make in your life. And those choices are greatly influenced by your habits…good and bad.

simple truth

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TODAY

today

Positive Inspirational Quotes ( PIQ)

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3 Simple Rules for Your Road (post by Kirk Weisler)

3 simple rules in life

I’ve come again to the unwelcome conclusion that there are a couple of particular challenges in my life that are not going to get up and go away.  Nor will they just solve themselves.  A math problem is a problem that needs a “someone” to solve it.  A mountain that stands between you and your goal cannot climb itself, remove itself, or build you an escalator… you must climb over it or tunnel under it to reach the other side.

I’m 48 and there are parts of my body that hurt more than ever and don’t work nearly as well as they once did. I can either lay there and wait for the pain to go away(I imagine a casket)… or I can get myself down to the gym and work through the pain so that at least behind it there may exist a greater strength to push through it and give me more stamina for the journey over the mountains towards my goals.

No one is coming to rescue us from our path.  How do you rescue someone from their goals or their path?  Others have their own path, their own pains, and their own mountains to climb.  Not to say we must or even can do it alone. There are those who can and will assist us, (Step 2) but we must be willing to ask… which in itself requires that we (Step 1)GO FOR IT,  and do all we can to prepare ourselves for the journey ahead.  A journey that we know from experience will require commitment, focus, resilience  and many other things. A journey that will simultaneously help us to discover many strengths and strengthen many things. A journey that began with a single step forward…and a journey that can only continue forward if we take another step.

I loved this picture again taken from the newly formed FB page “Distilled Wisdom“.   It shows someone who, in the face of adversity, and facing into the storms of life has followed these 3 rules…. (step 1) They are facing forward and going FOR what they want.  (Step 2) They have asked for the umbrella and the raincoat and other help they needed …and (Step 3) The are determined and decided that they will end this day in a different and more desirable place than they began it.

Photo

Today I will GO for it, (I will GOAL forward)

I will ask for the help that I need (and I need help)

I will take measurable meaningful steps today… no matter what….

And I am prepared, I have an umbrella of resolve..  I know it will not be easy…because if it was, I would have don’t it long ago.   Heck if it was easy, I most likely wouldn’t have wanted to do it in the first place.

Kirk out

sparkle

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Train Blog 1-3-12

I am tired like way beyond tired and possibly with vertigo. So when I feel like this, I get the giggles really easily.  It started with me watching the Snowman pranks and then the ugly rodent prank so I am giggly. Now to top it off, I’m on the train and when the doors open up I hear a loud noise so I take off my earphones to see what’s going on. I look out the door and see this homeless guy screaming at the top of his lungs.  He is screaming like he is being murdered by the texas chainsaw killer.  He does this a couple of times then he stops and starts to smile.  The look on peoples faces is priceless.  I know he is just crazy because that is how K street roll. This one guy couldnt figure out was going and looked like he was ready to run.  And he was a big dude.  Other people were looking like “oh my god'” what’s going on, should I drop to the ground?  Me, I just giggled and still giggling quietly.   Have a fabulous evening y’all! !

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Gratitude Journal – Found Guilty of Gratitude (post by Kirk Weisler)

 gratitude

I recently met a lady who told of her habit of keeping a gratitude journal.  In it she writes at least 3 things each day that she is grateful for.  She explained how she has been doing this for many years and how it has profoundly changed her life by helping her to change her focus.   She was very convincing.

I like to think of myself as a grateful person and one who readily recognizes and expresses gratitude. (But I know I have room to improve)  As the parent of teenagers who I feel could be more aware and expressive of gratitude I certainly liked this idea “for them”.   So I presented each of them with an empty book and explained the vision.  Accountability could happen at any time that I called them to share with me the latest entries in their gratitude journal.   They were willing but hesitant…so I offered that I would also be keeping a gratitude journal and would share with them as they shared with me.

I haven’t been perfect at it…as it’s still becoming a matter of habit for me, but I have been very energized and inspired as I have reflected on what I am grateful for.  It has also been at least somewhat evident that the exercise is also having an effect on the kids.   Cultivating a grateful heart is not the result of a single choice…or thought…but of the cumulative effect of thousands of them.   I know I have a journey ahead of me….perhaps we all do.  For my part, I am grateful to be on this journey and to be traveling with people who are also becoming more and more aware of all we have to be grateful for.

It has been my experience that grateful people serve more readily, give more generously and smile more often than those that are not.  I want to become one of those that are.  If the charge against me is “Gratitude”… I would like to be found guilty.

Here are some thoughts from previous years T4Ds.   http://kirkweisler.com/t4d/2010/11/24/down-under-thanksgiving/

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Devote Yourself

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2 Things 2 Remember

Two things to remember when exiting

year 2012 and entering 2013:

postage stamp

happy spanky new yearsBlessing to you in the year of 2013!!

(quotes taken from a friends post ;0))

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You Had a Good Day When…

lay down at nightPost from Positive Inspirational Quotes ( PIQ)

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13 Secrets Your Movie Theater Employee Won’t Tell You (article by Good Morning America & Reader’s Digest)

movie_theater_employee_tk_121226_wg

13 Secrets Your Movie Theater Employee Won’t Tell You

By Reader’s Digest | Good Morning America – 20 hours ago

Good Morning America” teamed up with Reader’s Digest on a special series, “13 Things Experts Won’t Tell You.” This month, Reader’s Digest unveils the secrets your movie theater employee won’t tell you, like how to save money, what foods to eat and more.

1. Why does it smell so good? The popcorn has chemicals in it to make its aroma fill the theater.

2. “Extreme Digital” is actually lower quality than IMAX digital. We use it because it’s easier to maintain.

3. For the first month or two of screening, money from ticket sales goes to movie studios. Theaters rely on concession stands to make money. That’s why concessions are overpriced. Popcorn costs almost nothing to make.

4. I know all the methods you use to sneak in. I just don’t always care enough to kick you out for it.

5. The only foods I trust are the popcorn, drinks, and boxed candy. I wouldn’t eat the pretzels, hot dogs, or nachos.

6. Chances are, if you complain to the manager and he sides with you, he’s just putting on a show to calm you down. The manager might pretend to yell at me for a minute, but he’ll pat me on the back the moment you’re out of sight.

7. Combination deals don’t save you money at some theaters. You’d pay the same price if you purchased the items separately.

8. Think you’re saving calories by ordering a small popcorn? That “small” popcorn could have been a medium last month.

9. Stop getting angry that your food isn’t ready. Microwaves can’t cook frozen pizzas in 30 seconds!

10. No, I can’t give you extra cups. Everything is inventoried at the end of the night.

11. Your suspicions are correct. Sometimes I sweep excess food under the seats. Movies often end every few minutes. Sometimes, three or more screenings end at the same time. I don’t always have time to clean everything up.

12 Yes, movies start late. But they almost always end on time – otherwise, the ushers wouldn’t know when to clean up. Theaters tell you to come in early so you have time to watch commercials and previews.

13. Popcorn keeps for a day or two. Many customers confuse warm with fresh.

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One Day….

one dayPost from Positive Inspirational Quotes ( PIQ)

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