The Truth about Forming Productive Habits

‘When you choose a habit, you also choose the result of that habit.’
- Zig Ziglar

In the bestseller “The greatest Salesman in the World”, Og Mandino told the story of Hafid who was reputed to be the greatest and perhaps the most successful salesman in his time. Hafid, a supposedly poor fellow went from being a common camel boy to being a renowned salesman and a very wealthy person.

How did Hafid become so successful? Hafid realized early enough that the difference between those who are successful and the failures lies in the difference between their habits. He realized that good or productive habits are the key to all success, while bad or unproductive habits are the unlocked door to failure. He therefore formed good habits and became their slave. He went on to completely destroy his bad habits. He therefore spent a few moment everyday learning, imbibing and mastering good and productive habits while destroying his bad and unproductive habits. He mastered such habits like persistence, avoidance of procrastination, mastering of emotions, laughing at the world, taking action, avoiding self pity, goal setting etc, etc. With time he became the success he desired and wanted to be.

What is habit?

Steve Covey in his book “The Seven Habits of Highly Successful People” defined habits as “the overlap between knowledge (what you do), skill (how to do it) and attitude (knowing or why to do it or want to do it).” Horace Mann sees habit as “A cable or thread which we weave everyday and at last we cannot break it.” To Orison Swett Marden “The beginning of a habit is like an invisible thread, but every time we repeat the act, we strengthen the strand, add to it another filament until it becomes a great cable and binds us irrevocably, though an act.”

From these definitions I have come to the following deductions:
1. Habits are learned and can therefore be cultivated.
2. Once it is mastered it becomes part of you and therefore irrevocable.
3. Habits if not resisted soon becomes a necessity.
4. When you choose a habit you also choose the result of that habit.
5. When you gain control of your habits you gain control of your life.
6. You must denounce and destroy bad or unproductive habits.
7. If you are desirous of being successful you must therefore cultivate good and productive habits.

Productive habits required for your success

The man on top of the mountain did not just fall there. He must have taken some steps before getting there. Likewise success in any endeavor in life leaves clues. Some of these clues are in the form of right conduct and productive habits. Detailed below are some habits which I believe could move you ahead in life and fast tracking your success.

 Continuously beginning with the end in mind: Drawing up your personal vision, mission, creed, value statements and principles.
 Persistence: The habit of never conceding defeat in any endeavor until success is attained. This is the habit of trying and trying again until your goal is achieved.
 Enthusiasm: The love of whatever it is you are doing at the moment. This is the habit of enjoying whatever you do for a living.
 Mastering your emotion: Gaining control over your moods and feelings rather than allowing them to control your actions. Habit of taking positive actions.
 Appreciation: Being grateful for what so ever it is that is done for you. The habit of showing gratitude to God and fellow human beings.
 Goal setting: Being focused on what you plan to achieve. The habit of identifying what you plan to achieve and setting plans of action on how to achieve them.
 Planning: He who fails to plan is planning to fail. This is the habit of preparing on how to achieve your aims and goals.
 Multiplying your value: Making a choice on what you want to be and adding value to mankind through service.
 Pro-activity: Being responsible for your actions and taking control of your life. The habit of being self directed rather than being others directed.
 Putting first things first: Management of self and time. The habit of management of yourself.
 Continuous development: Maintenance of the spiritual, mental and physical self. This is the habit of continually sharpening the saw or continuous learning and personal development.

Now to the truth about all these talk about productive habits. It is one thing to know about them but without taking action about imbibing and using them it will amount to naught. Knowledge about them does not give you any power nor make you successful. It is applying the knowledge that is power. You have to avoid procrastination on them and commit your dreams and goals to action. Your dreams are worthless, your plans are dust and your goals will be impossible unless they are followed by action.

Cultivating and mastering these productive and unshakeable habits of the successful people is the only medium of achieving success. You should realize that failure is your inability to reach your goals in life. According to Jackson King, “The secret of success for every successful person lies in the fact that he has formed the habit of doing things that failure do not like to do.” A wise man once said “Men do not decide their future. They decide their HABITS and their habits decide their future.”

You should therefore cultivate and master these productive habits now if you desire to be successful because excellence of character is nothing but excellence of habits. You should therefore never take your focus off these habits if you really desire to be successful.

Has this post helped you in your quest to be successful? I will appreciate your comments please. Thank you for sharing your time with me.