Your Habits Make You Or Break You

We Are What We Repeatedly Do

"Excellence is an art won by training and habituation.  We do not act rightly because we have virtue or excellence, but we rather have those because we have acted rightly. We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence. then is not an act but a habit."...Aristotle

There are two things that determine who we are and what type of life we live in life.  These two things are...drum roll please...the thoughts that we think and the habits that we have.  

Since we are cerebral life forms, there should be no doubt that the quality of our thinking, and what we are thinking about, are the Alpha and Omega of it all.  But once the thoughts are in place in our brain the next crucial step to these thoughts manifesting into anything real and tangible is action.  And ultimately our actions are rooted in the habits that we have.  The difference between good and bad habits make all the difference in the world in what we achieve and who we become because what the great Greek philosopher Aristotle said is 100% true..."We are what we repeatedly do." 

My two sons are wrestlers.  My oldest started much earlier than my youngest, and so going into high school he had a huge advantage in terms of what he learned since he began and the habits that he already established.  He won an Ohio Youth State Championship in sixth grade, a Jr. High State Championship in eight grade, and as of this writing, is a three time State Runner Up in three of the toughest weight classes in high school!  As you can imagine his Mom and I are extremely proud of him.  Google "Nick Kiussis wrestling" and check him out if you're a wrestling fan.  

My youngest son Kevin started later than Nick, and it took awhile for him to grow a true liking for the sport.  He started and stopped but is working hard in middle school and trying to develop the habits that are necessary in becoming a top performer.  We are very proud of him also.  It's one of the toughest sports in the world.

The point I'm trying to make, using them as an example, is that a lot of disciplined, hard work goes into becoming successful at anything in life.  They are in the habit of going to practises.  They are in the habit of strength training regularly.  They are in the habit of eating right...at least a fair amount of the time.  They are in the habit of going to bed to be properly rested.  You get the picture. These things are not easy for young boys and men in today's society.  These are good habits that they, and all their top fellow wrestlers, either have developed or are in the process of developing.

Dear old dad here fell out of the good habits of eating healthy and regularly working out.  I started being too casual about my food choices and going to the gym.  Eating too much and not going to the gym are bad habits!  And as a result I've got my work cut out for me to get back in shape.  No worries dear readers of this blog I'm on it! Reestablishing habits.  My point is that your habits make or break you in ALL areas of your life.  

One of the best things you can do on a regular basis is take a good hard look at the results you've been getting in your life.  Think carefully and deliberately about your habits and whether or not the habits that you currently practice are in line with your goals and the vision of who you want to ultimately become.  Perhaps you will identify a bad habit or two that, if replaced by a healthy more productive habit, could give you the push you need to take yourself to the next level.  This is an ongoing project...like life itself.  No need to beat yourself up about anything, but when it's time to regroup it's time to regroup!  

This is the essence of personal development.  Constantly learning how to become the best version of yourself.  Keeping a positive, growth oriented mindset and establishing habits that produce the actions to be congruent with that mindset.  On paper it might sound easy...but if it were then I wouldn't be here blogging about it.  All I know is that you're worth it and whatever it is you desire can be achieved.

Until the next time...

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