The Tribune

There are many habits that we adopt along the way. Some of these habits support our quest to live an empowered life, while others hinder our every move. In order to keep moving towards the life that we desire to live, it’s a good idea to periodically evaluate our habits.

A habit is defined as a routine behaviour that is repeated regularly and often tends to occur subconsciously. This means that once any behaviour becomes a habit, you do it without even thinking.

Since our habits can become so automatic we ought to be very specific about the habits we adopt. One thing is for certain, no matter what your habits are, they are either empowering or disempowering your life.

Here you’ll find no neutral ground. Habits are like arrows – steadily moving towards a particular outcome. Whether that outcome is positive or negative depends on the quality of the habit. Let’s take the habit of action or inaction. While one habit moves you forward, the other keeps you stuck.

Do you have a habit of action or inaction? The best clue to answer this question lies in your results.

Your results are a direct reflection of your habits. It is for this reason that many say “change your habits; you change your life”. Personal success is to the result of the habit of taking action. Nothing happens without action. No amount of talking points can point you forward like the habit of taking action.

Action indeed speaks louder than words. However, action must become a habit; it must be the way you behave on a consistent basis. The main reason why many fall prey to the habit of inaction is because of fear. Fear is a powerful emotion that causes many to become a hostage to the safe shores of life. Rather than take action and swim towards their dreams, they settle on the shores of uncertainty.

But habits can be broken. The best medicine to breaking the habit of inaction is to adopt a new habit. That’s what so great about habits, you can always trade in a bad one for a better one. The question is, are you willing to take action to break the habit of inaction.

We know habits can be hard to break. In particular, some say ‘bad’ habits are hard to break, but I suspect that any habit is hard to break. Bad habits may seem harder to break because they often involve habits of substance abuse – drugs and alcohol – which may require detox intervention.

To get over those kinds of habits does require a massive effort. Even so, once you are willing to take action you can begin to move towards adopting a better habit.

Another great point is to realise that anything can become a habit. It seems that the term ‘habit’ in and of itself is often blindly associated with negative behaviours, when in truth for every negative habit there is an equally positive one to match.

Leader to leader, understand that your habits determine your destiny. You have full authority to evaluate your habits and develop the ones that improve your life. The habit of taking action is one of them; taking the kind of action that moves you towards the person you are born to be.

By adopting the habit of taking positive action you enjoy the results of living an empowered life. Yes, you can do it!

What do you think?

Please send your comments to coaching242@yahoo.com or 429-6770.

• Michelle M Miller is a certified life coach, communication and leadership expert. Visit www.michellemmiller.com; mail can be sent to PO Box CB-13060.