Like buildings and houses are made up of bricks in Asia, our lives are made up of habits. We are creatures of habits and they are bricks of our lives. We have a choice, we can either build a Taj Mahal of our life, with bricks of habits or we can build a shed.

Habits are routine behaviours which are repeated regularly and occur subconsciously. Any action good or bad repeated regularly becomes a skill, and skill becomes a habit, and then habit becomes addiction. When we have some control over our behaviour, then it is just a habit. When we have no control over our behaviour, then it is an addiction.

There are two types of habits - good and bad. Good habits are highway of success, where as bad habits are trail of misery and failure. A bad habit is a negative behaviour pattern which destroys any chance of success. Common bad habits are:
• Procrastination.
• Nail biting.
• Overeating.
• Overspending.
• Compulsive shopping.
• Undeserved wants.
• Gambling.

You may have heard the saying that "Repetition is the mother of skill". I say, "Repetition is the grandmother of habit". Because habit doesn't start at habit stage, instead it starts with conscious actions and repetitions.

Usually we are not aware of our bad habits. If someone tries to tell us about our bad habits, we tend to defend our habits. But we need to realize that we are; what our habits are. Charles Noble said it well - "First we make our habits, then our habits make us".

Since we have control over our actions, can we change our habits?

I totally believe that habits can be changed with conscious effort. When I was a kid back in India, I remember when someone wanted to get rid of their drinking habit; they would go to a religious place and swear that they won't drink for 40 days. The plan was that if they can stay without drinking for 40 days, they will become non drinker. I have seen this method succeed and fail. When a person himself made a commitment, he succeeded and became non drinker. But, whenever a person didn't commit himself, he swore because family asked him to do so, he failed and kept drinking after 40 days.

In North America, 30 day model is popular in these days. The model is that if a person can do with or without a certain act for 30 days, there is very high chance that he / she can form or drop a habit. But, it does require a personal commitment.

Psychological studies show that habits are easier to replace then drop. This model suggests that if you replace a bad habit with a good habit for a certain time period, and new habit will become permanent. It is like taking a nail out of a piece of wood. Hammer in the new nail on top of the old one, and it will push the older nail out and take his place.

Tips for dropping bad habits and forming new ones:
• Focus on one habit replacement for 30 or 40 days.
• Replace old habit needs with something else.
• Only replace one habit at a time.
• Write down habit replacement plan on a piece of paper and review it everyday.
• When you get closer to the 30 day period, move the goal post. (Re-establish 30 or 40 days).
• Ask your friends and family to help you with the process.
• Practice patience and consistency.
• Keep your plans simple.
• Enjoy the process.

If you are committed to replacing your habits, no one can stop you. You need to develop the excitement within yourself to replace your habits, and you will definitely succeed.

Let's get going!
PJ Bath.
http://www.success-basics.com/