Tapsearch Com EditorLaws governing habit
October 1st 2008 00:08
By Ray Tapajna, Artist and Editor at Tapart News and Art that Talks from notes from Father McQuade Personality and Character course.
Laws Governing Habits
There are two laws governing habits. The first of these is: the more frequent, the more intense the action, and the more vivid our interest, the greater will be the strength of the habit.
The second law is that the less frequent and intense our action, and the more occurences of the opposite habit, the weaker will be the strength fo the habit.
These two laws show us a very important thing in regards to habit, namely, that it is not something we can acquire and keep without further effort. It must be conserved by continous repetitions. There is a good analogy in making a pathway across the lawn. The more it is used the more cleared it gets, the less it is used the more overgrown it becomes.
Habits are just pathways in the nervous system .
It is unfortunate that most people will see these rules apply to sport skills but fail to see these rules in mental habits, habits of emotional control and similar circumstances. One who wants to meet more people will exercise this practice on a continous basis. One who wants to see the good in others, of looking at the bright side of life, of forming thoughts through logical sequence, can develop these attributes by making them habits. We can create the opportunities that we seek through habits. We soon find that a practice of mental habits is just as important as learning how to hold a pool cue properly or to follow through the right way with a golf club.
The same applys to getting rid of bad habits. The one who keeps from doing what they do not want to do more frequently can weaken the hold of the bad habit. Desire has to be targeted too in getting rid of a bad habit .
Alcoholics Anonymous, uses these techniques to help cure alcoholism. The desire to escape the hold of a drug or substance, has to become greater than the desire to take them. Desire has the power to control impulse and desire can create a different mentality in the way we face life. Suddenly , fortified by the idea of getting rid of the hold the habit has on ust, and the fostering of the desire for change starts us down a new path.
However, just telling a person to get rid of a habit by attacking desire is merely pushing the matter back another step. The person must find a way to get rid of the desire. A calm, careful and intelligent examination of our goals, our ambitions, our motives will show us the way. It may show us that some goals are unworthy of us. As soon as one is able to change their goals , they will will turn away from the habit which controlled the wrong goal.
To stop smoking, a person has to first re-examine their ideas about smoking. They must give their desire to quit help. They must develop clearer vision of the negatives and make a habit of reviewing these negatives. Obviously, the consequences of smoking is its affect on our well being. Also, a person must review the purpose the habit of smoking serves. The purpose can be changed by substituting another purpose in its place. They can envision the freedom they could enjoy from changing from one purpose to another even though the new purpose is not that convenient. We have to pack the desire to quit with a new habit mentally or physically and not say it is impossible to break the habit. It is possible just like other things in our lives that we had to adapt too.
Laws Governing Habits
There are two laws governing habits. The first of these is: the more frequent, the more intense the action, and the more vivid our interest, the greater will be the strength of the habit.
The second law is that the less frequent and intense our action, and the more occurences of the opposite habit, the weaker will be the strength fo the habit.
These two laws show us a very important thing in regards to habit, namely, that it is not something we can acquire and keep without further effort. It must be conserved by continous repetitions. There is a good analogy in making a pathway across the lawn. The more it is used the more cleared it gets, the less it is used the more overgrown it becomes.
Habits are just pathways in the nervous system .
It is unfortunate that most people will see these rules apply to sport skills but fail to see these rules in mental habits, habits of emotional control and similar circumstances. One who wants to meet more people will exercise this practice on a continous basis. One who wants to see the good in others, of looking at the bright side of life, of forming thoughts through logical sequence, can develop these attributes by making them habits. We can create the opportunities that we seek through habits. We soon find that a practice of mental habits is just as important as learning how to hold a pool cue properly or to follow through the right way with a golf club.
The same applys to getting rid of bad habits. The one who keeps from doing what they do not want to do more frequently can weaken the hold of the bad habit. Desire has to be targeted too in getting rid of a bad habit .
Alcoholics Anonymous, uses these techniques to help cure alcoholism. The desire to escape the hold of a drug or substance, has to become greater than the desire to take them. Desire has the power to control impulse and desire can create a different mentality in the way we face life. Suddenly , fortified by the idea of getting rid of the hold the habit has on ust, and the fostering of the desire for change starts us down a new path.
However, just telling a person to get rid of a habit by attacking desire is merely pushing the matter back another step. The person must find a way to get rid of the desire. A calm, careful and intelligent examination of our goals, our ambitions, our motives will show us the way. It may show us that some goals are unworthy of us. As soon as one is able to change their goals , they will will turn away from the habit which controlled the wrong goal.
To stop smoking, a person has to first re-examine their ideas about smoking. They must give their desire to quit help. They must develop clearer vision of the negatives and make a habit of reviewing these negatives. Obviously, the consequences of smoking is its affect on our well being. Also, a person must review the purpose the habit of smoking serves. The purpose can be changed by substituting another purpose in its place. They can envision the freedom they could enjoy from changing from one purpose to another even though the new purpose is not that convenient. We have to pack the desire to quit with a new habit mentally or physically and not say it is impossible to break the habit. It is possible just like other things in our lives that we had to adapt too.
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