"Be Mindful of Your Habits"
“I am your constant companion; I am your greatest helper or heaviest burden. I will push you onward or drag you down to failure. I am completely at your command. Half of the things you do you might just as well turn over to me and I will be able to do them quickly and correctly. I am easily managed-you must merely be firm with me. Show me exactly how you want something done and after a few lessons I will do it automatically. I am the secret of all great men; and alas, of all failures, as well. 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 all the precision of a machine plus the intelligence of a man. You may run me for profit or run me for ruin-it makes no difference to me. Take me, train me, be firm with me, and I will place the world at your feet. Be easy with me and I will destroy you. Who am I? I AM A HABIT!!
-Anonymous
Your habits are the patterns of behavior you have acquired and have followed until they have become involuntary. Your habits are what you naturally do, they are like behavioral reflexes; they become automatic, daily practices and, often unconsciously, you will allow your habits to rule your life. It has been determined by psychologists that 90 to 95 percent of our conduct is the result of our habits. Our habits, personal customs, or our rituals determine almost 100 percent of our behavior. The way you study, the things you do when you have time to do anything you want to do, the amount of effort you put into your daily tasks, the route you take to get home, being late all the time, your morning routine, and just about any other daily activity you can name is rooted in your habits.
It is important to note that the new habits you form as well as the habits you have already acquired, whether they are good or bad will determine your future. Your habits will determine what you either accomplish because your habits determine your actions and your actions determine your destiny. One must eliminate bad habits in order to gain control over your life. Good habits are hard to form but easy to live with. Bad habits are easy to form but hard to live with!
Parents help your sons to develop good habits by doing the following every day!
- Review their goals every day.
- Read Every day.
- Limit the amount of time they play games and watch the television.
- Expect them to strive to do their very best every day.