It is necessary to talk about this topic, starting with the formulation of the concept of “bad habit”. In our society, the opinion is that we are usually talking about smoking and drinking alcohol (immoderate libation). But now I propose to take a broader look. Let’s consider all activities that alienate a person from the realization of his mission as a bad habit. Here are examples of “harmful” hobbies that often take away vitality, but are not considered bad habits: video games, social media, entertainment TV shows, gambling, and sedatives. Clarification required.
If a young man sometimes launches a console to kill virtual monsters, this is not a reason to worry. Problems begin when he is no longer interested in anything, when the only thing that makes his eyes light up is the game worlds filled with avatars and other characters. Or, for example, when a girl periodically communicates with friends on social networks, there is nothing wrong. But if, barely waking up, she reaches for the gadget to watch updates with sleepy eyes, this is a reason to think about a bad habit.
So now you need to be extremely honest with yourself. Getting rid of bad habits is not as easy as it might seem. Very often we are frank with someone who is around. At the same time, we will not persistently speak the whole truth to ourselves. “Oh, I’m so forgetful – everything always flies out of my head.” You understand that this is not a feature of a particular person, but just an excuse. Memory is something that can (and should) be developed. But instead, we will stubbornly believe that “this is how I was born,” they say, my fault is not here – circumstances have played a cruel joke, now we will have to suffer until the end of my life. Forbid yourself to speak in that tone. You and only you are responsible for what happens in your life. This is one of the key messages of my books. Moreover, in fact, everything that your humble servant writes about, Are tools for increasing the degree of control over what is happening now and what will happen in the future. In this case, giving up a bad habit will give an impulse to increase your vital energy. The logic is as follows. If you get rid of what draws strength from you and / or knocks you off the mainstream (achieving high goals), then the process of completing the tasks will noticeably accelerate. Simply put, if you are driving on a road with a nail in a wheel, then when you change this wheel, you will get to your destination faster. Yes, you can move on the rims (and say that you still solve your problems), but this way you waste energy is inappropriate. That is, bad habits do not correspond to the goal. In this case, giving up a bad habit will give an impulse to increase your vital energy. The logic is as follows. If you get rid of what draws strength from you and / or knocks you off the mainstream (achieving high goals), then the process of completing the tasks will noticeably accelerate. Simply put, if you are driving on a road with a nail in a wheel, then when you change this wheel, you will get to your destination faster. Yes, you can move on the rims (and say that you still solve your problems), but this way you waste energy is inappropriate. That is, bad habits do not correspond to the goal. In this case, giving up a bad habit will give an impulse to increase your vital energy. The logic is as follows. If you get rid of what draws strength from you and / or knocks you off the mainstream (achieving high goals), then the process of completing the tasks will noticeably accelerate. Simply put, if you are driving on a road with a nail in a wheel, then when you change this wheel, you will get to your destination faster. Yes, you can move on the rims (and say that you still solve your problems), but this way you waste energy is inappropriate. That is, bad habits do not correspond to the goal. if you are driving on a road with a nail in a wheel, then when you change this wheel, you will reach your destination faster. Yes, you can move on the rims (and say that you still solve your problems), but this way you waste energy is inappropriate. That is, bad habits do not correspond to the goal. if you are driving on a road with a nail in a wheel, then when you change this wheel, you will reach your destination faster. Yes, you can move on the rims (and say that you still solve your problems), but this way you waste energy is inappropriate. That is, bad habits do not correspond to the goal.
Algorithm for getting rid of bad habits
There are several steps to take. The first is to identify your bad habits. You probably already realized that we are talking not only about those that directly affect health. Look for enemies in disguise that may seem like “rest”, “change of activity” or just “little weakness.” You don’t have to answer right away – just watch yourself. Now you will follow with the vigilance of a spy everything on which you spend your time and energy. And if it becomes clear that evening relaxation in front of the TV must necessarily include a box of chocolates, you will understand: “Aha, this is it.”
The second point is deliberate refusal. The lock opens easily if you have a key. And you have it: you know that a bad habit slows you down, does not allow you to fully realize your potential. This is not a “slight weakness”, but the enemy, and you need to have the courage to look him in the eye. If you refuse, be prepared to counterattack. If everything was easy, no one would have any problems. No wonder they say that the most important victory is a victory over oneself. So don’t be nervous if the moment comes when you want to give up slack. This is normal. Thoughts will begin to creep into my head that it is better to postpone getting rid of the bad habit. Not for long – even for a few days. The main thing is not to do anything right now. If you feel the desire not to tackle the issue, but to postpone the X hour for later, then the right time has come. It is at this moment that a decision should be made to get rid of what interferes. But there is another trick that the mind can throw. It also needs to be mentioned.
Reward Trap
A person is so arranged that he needs motivation for productive activity. And I’m not talking about trainings and specialized literature now (although for many this is also valuable). We are talking about the principles by virtue of which we agree to do certain things. If we do not take into account ideological considerations, then the principle of “carrot and stick” remains, that is, punishment and reward. Each is effective, but differently for everyone. Simply put, at work, one employee will show his maximum if he is promised a bonus, and the second will give 100% if he is threatened with dismissal. In relation to our topic, the following observation can be described. We cannot fire ourselves, and most likely we will not beat ourselves. Therefore, more often in relation to his own person, a person applies a positive factor of motivation. The so-called gingerbread here may be your bad habit. “I’ll make a report and have a beer”, “If I have time with my term paper, the next day I will lie at home and spit at the ceiling”, “It was a difficult week, I can afford to buy new shoes.” And stuff like that. That is, we justify our “little weakness” by exposing a bad habit as a bonus when achieving a certain goal or as an outlet (as something pleasant in this unpleasant world). That is why there are frequent cases when a person realizes that he is engaged in self-harm, but at the same time believes that “he cannot do anything” and “if he can refuse it, then there is no need to live at all”. I can afford to buy new shoes. ” And stuff like that. That is, we justify our “little weakness” by exposing a bad habit as a bonus when achieving a certain goal or as an outlet (as something pleasant in this unpleasant world). That is why there are frequent cases when a person realizes that he is engaged in self-harm, but at the same time believes that “he cannot do anything” and “if he can refuse it, then there is no need to live at all”. I can afford to buy new shoes. ” And stuff like that. That is, we justify our “little weakness” by exposing a bad habit as a bonus when achieving a certain goal or as an outlet (as something pleasant in this unpleasant world). That is why there are frequent cases when a person realizes that he is engaged in self-harm, but at the same time believes that “he cannot do anything” and “if he can refuse it, then there is no need to live at all”.
Once I witnessed a scene when a woman who wanted to lose weight, on the evening of the first day of the diet (!), Pounced on a sausage. To a reasonable question about what was happening, she, actively cutting slices of the doctor’s degree, replied that “without sausage I want to climb into a loop.” And laughter and sin. It is clear that giving up sausage will neither lead to death, nor even to a deterioration in well-being. It is likely that this very state of health can improve. But this is understandable to everyone, except for the one who uttered this phrase. For that woman, everything was quite serious – her habit was so deeply rooted in her head that her willpower was not enough even for a day. It’s all about psychology. The Forbidden fruit is sweet. And it is twice as sweet, if earlier we had unlimited access to it, but now it was taken away from us. This is a missed benefit, and a person wants to cling to it. A special case of this feature of our thinking is used by marketers when selling goods and services. When you see something like “Only 10 pieces left” or “Promotion ends this Sunday” in an ad, be aware that merchants are pushing this very button. Soon the chance will fade away, so why not take advantage of it, even if the product itself is not really needed. I am not saying that everyone who delivers this kind of message is selling something unnecessary. It may well be that the goods and services are of the highest quality, it is just that this technique increases profits (and you now know about it). even if the product itself is not really needed. I am not saying that everyone who delivers this kind of message is selling something unnecessary. It may well be that the goods and services are of the highest quality, it is just that this technique increases profits (and you now know about it). even if the product itself is not really needed. I am not saying that everyone who delivers this kind of message is selling something unnecessary. It may well be that the goods and services are of the highest quality, it is just that this technique increases profits (and you now know about it).
Concluding the topic of awards and rewards, I note that with a skillful approach, this can well stimulate performance. It’s just that for motivation we need to choose something that is not included in the category of bad habits, from which we want to get rid of. Or if you really think that you cannot live without it, then set a reward not for a minimal action, but for solving a serious problem. For example, you can afford half an hour of video games not after a quarter of an hour of work, but after writing a section of term paper. And shopping can be arranged not because of a difficult week, but by the fact of approaching (measurable) your goal. For example, for the first time we swam 30 meters on our own. This can be noted a little.
I want to warn you against the other extreme, when a person works without stopping. He believes that he must be constantly busy and a drunk cup of tea takes away precious minutes that can be spent on business. We are not robots, and rest is required for more fruitful work in the future. This is a must if you want to stay productive. Therefore, workaholism is a dangerous occupation for health. At some point, the body itself decides to take a break – and you will lay down with the disease. So don’t drive yourself like a horse at the races. Take pauses. Small but regular.
What will happen next?
When you release your energy from a bad habit, your energy will begin to surge. But you will only feel it for the first few days, because the addiction will continue. This is how a person works: we get used to everything (well, or almost everything). Therefore, do not compare yourself to other people who do much less than you do. It is dangerous to look back at others and say: “One of my acquaintances’s wife doesn’t let her breathe, she cuts every day” (in the sense that since it’s wrong, my position is more advantageous) or: “A childhood friend has credits, but I do not owe anything to anyone”. Thinking like that breeds pride. Focus on those you admire. Compare yourself to them, and let the comparison be against you. Yes, it can be a shame because someone has spent their time more productively. But thinking in this vein, you will get motivated – want to achieve better results than you currently have. From the point of view of achieving goals, this is the only correct strategy. Especially considering that no matter what altitude you fly, there will still be those who are even higher. Look ahead.
Play with the cards in your hand
We are all different. Someone is tall, the other remembers numbers well, the third one perfectly knows how to combine colors. This I am writing to the fact that the first two questions of this book go side by side for a reason. By kicking off bad habits, you free up space for learning a useful skill. Take a couple of minutes and consider how you use your time and energy. Do not indulge yourself: the more you exercise, the better the result. And vice versa, if, figuratively speaking, you lie on the couch all the time, then you will lose the ability to do at the proper level even what you already know how.
