It’s a natural consequence of our neurology. But then we stopped making a choice, and the behavior became automatic. At one point, we all consciously decided how much to eat and what to focus on when we got to the office, how often to have a drink or when to go for a jog. Habits, by definition, are choices that we all make deliberately at some point-and then stop thinking about but continue doing, often every day. One paper published by a Duke University researcher in 2006 found that more than 40 percent of the actions people performed each day weren’t actual decisions, but habits. They’re habits.Īnd though each habit means relatively little on its own, over time, the meals we order, whether we save or spend, how often we exercise, and the way we organize our thoughts and work routines have enormous impacts on our health, productivity, financial security and happiness. In 1892, the famous psychologist, William James wrote, “All our life, so far as it has definite form, is but a mass of habits,” - I absolutely love that because it’s absolutely true: most of the choices we make each day may feel like the products of well-considered decision making, but they’re not. When you got home, did you put on your sneakers and go for a run, or pour yourself a drink and eat dinner in front of the TV? When you woke up this morning, what did you do first?ĭid you hop in the shower, check your email or grab a doughnut from the kitchen counter?ĭid you brush your teeth before or after you toweled off?
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