The victory of success is half won when one gains the habit of setting goals and achieving them. Even the most tedious chore will become endurable as you parade through each day convinced that every task, no matter how menial or boring, brings you closer to fulfilling your dreams. ~ Og Mandino
Watch your thoughts, for they become words, Watch your words, for they become actions, watch your actions for they become habits, watch your habits, for they become character, watch your character for it becomes your destiny ~ anonymous
Get quality behaviours and culture and build a quality life.
Wikipedia Ref: - “Habits are routines of behaviour that are repeated regularly and tend to occur subconsciously without directly thinking consciously about them”
They are simply routine behaviours that are automatic in nature after repeated performance of specific actions. We are born with no ingrained inclinations but over time we imitate actions and behaviours from our environment and the people we are repeatedly exposed to.
These patterns of behaviour shape our character and ultimately determine our destiny. These repeated mannerisms are tools that help you channel or process your dreams to your desired results. The best performing institutions, people and all other outstanding entities know the importance of ingraining excellent behaviour to achieve desired results.
The best build the custom of excellence
If you study the best performing institutions and most enduring institutions like the military, religious bodies and best performing schools, companies and families they all have a strict code of rules and conduct by which they conduct their affairs.
They all expect all members to adhere to these set of rules and conduct without fail. I am a student of history. The most striking fact is that countries, institutions, families and individuals that embrace the culture and custom of strict discipline in their daily routines will always have an edge over non disciplined and extremely liberal institutions.
These institutions will always stand the test of time they inculcate the best culture and ethics in their members. A framework of rules and a set of guidelines for individual conduct are standard tools used by these institutions.
The Catholic church, Orthodox church, Jewish Faith, Islamic faith, Buddhist Faith, Hindu Faith are examples of religious bodies and systems that have survived several millennia because they expect their adherents to conform to their code of conduct and doctrine without fail. Failure to do so leads to instant expulsion and excommunication. As harsh as these religious entities seem in this present day society they define their rules and expectations of conduct quite clearly. Values and ethics are not relative let me stress this. For a value to endure through the ages it must have gone through the baptism of fire to survive the test of time.
Examples of the impact of culture and norms on great
General Electric is a company that embodies excellence and a tradition of innovation throughout its history. “The spirit and the letter” GE’S code of conduct emphasises the highest personal and professional code of ethics and integrity.
Please see this small excerpt “ DO NOT let making the numbers, competitive instincts or even a direct order from a superior – compromise your commitment to integrity” It stresses core values of honesty, fairness and trustworthiness in all employee dealings.
The results are clear to see GE has survived numerous depressions and business cycles but are still going strong. These simple values enable it focus on it’s core mission and deliver results to their customers without fail.
The United States Marine Corps is recognised worldwide as the most effective fighting force on earth today. This institution was founded in 1883. What are the key corp values “Honor, Courage and commitment”. Honor requires each marine to exemplify the ultimate standard in ethical and moral conduct.
Each marine must cling to an uncompromising code of personal integrity accountable for his actions and his peer actions.
Courage encompasses the will to do what is right regardless of the conduct of others. It is mental discipline and adherence to a higher standard. Commitment refers to relentless dedication to excellence they never accept second best. Excellence is always the goal. This defines the character of each individual marine. What is their motto “Semper Fidelis” Always Faithful.
The importance of such values is demonstrated when a soldier goes out to war. This is a theatre where there are no second chances you have to perform at your best and give your all to the team and mission. The team will only perform to the strengths of the weakest individual.
That’s why it’s important to ensure the individuals you will fight with have the highest standards of integrity and mental discipline. You don’t want individuals deserting and running away at critical moments leaving all other team members demoralised. That’s why their key slogan is “Always Faithful” the results are evident and seen worldwide.
Germany is a country that is loathed and liked in equal measure but one fact we cannot dispute is their efficiency and discipline.
This country has literally risen out of the ashes twice after engaging the whole world in two world wars. It has the largest economy in Europe and is admired for the engineering products it churns out of it’s industries. The most notable products are it’s vehicle products: Mercedes-Benz, BMW ,Volkswagen etc. How does one country get to this height of excellence? The answer is that Germans have an ethos or culture of order and excellence.
They embrace this culture has a collective in the country all individuals are expected to be orderly and organised this has translated to them achieving great industrial feats over and over again.
What are good and bad habits?
It’s important to draw the line on what are good and bad behavioural traits. If you don’t do this early enough you will not know what key values you embrace and you will not realise the expected outcome of embracing different behaviours.
Examples of good habits are effective time management, patience, good listening and communication skills, diligence, respect and tolerance for other people, honesty, integrity, kindness, fairness, self control and temperance e.t.c
The harsh truth is that we don’t live in an isolated world or vacuum. Each of us has to relate to other individuals to survive in this world. Without a foundation of good habits you limit your chances to enjoy the abundance this world offers.
The behavioural traits above ALWAYS and I stress again ALWAYS lead to great outcomes.
Go back again and study all your great heroes each and study how each and every one of them embraced most of the habits above that lead to their great standing in history. Nelson Mandela demonstrated great patience by living out 27 years of his life in prison to fight apartheid.
Margaret Thatcher had the courage and fortitude to fight the trade unions when Britain was at it’s economic knees. Thomas Edison had the patience and perseverance to fail 1000 times before he made the first working light bulb. These individuals all embraced key behavioural traits that lifted them to greatness.
The mark of a great leader is always evidenced by the behavioural traits they embrace.
Let’s explore bad habits. We have vices such as extreme vanity, greed, lust, anger, hatred, gluttony, envy, selfishness, laziness, procrastination, deceitful behaviour etc . We have examples of such habits and the strife and misery they have caused in this world.
Hitler embraced hatred of the Jews and the world witnessed it’s worst genocide ever. Organisations like Enron and Lehman brothers embraced the vice of extreme greed and deceitful practices we witnessed the destruction of many individual’s personal finances and lives due to the actions of executives in these companies.
Been brutally honest with yourself is always necessary to ensure you understand where you behavioural traits predominantly lie.
All of us have a mix of good and bad habits but it’s paramount for us to work on our good habits as they are the set that usually determine the outcome of our goals and us getting our desired results
Habits act as engines that either propel us towards our goals or steer us way from goal attainment. A vivid example is setting a goal to attain a technical skill in a given period of time. So long as you are not diligent enough to follow a time table strictly the habit of laziness and procrastination will deter you from attaining this worthy goal.
In summary watch out and ensure you embrace the right habits to enable you achieve your goals effortlessly.
