Good habits, good destiny

Author: Peng Weixin / Country:
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features: A good habit means one more chance for success; a good habit means one more confidence in success. This book explores habits from all aspects that affect people's lifestyles and life success in a three-dimensional and comprehensive way. It begins with the "Magic of Habits" section to understand habits, then explains them in detail andly in ten aspects of life, such as "Cultivating Habits," "Positive and Optimistic," "Goal and Action," "Time Management," etc., and tells readers how to cultivate good habits, break bad habits, and thus change their destiny. Life is destiny. Some people have a smooth life, while others face many hardships; some achieve great success in their careers, while others are mediocre; some keep failing but ultimately succeed, while others strive hard but achieve nothing. It seems there is a magical hand behind everyone, directing their lives. In fact, this invisible hand is none other than human habits! Habits are like speeding trains; inertia makes it impossible to stop. Habits are formed through repeated actions, one drop at a time, in cycles. Whether good or bad, habits are formed this way, just with different outcomes. The train may arrive at a heaven or a deep valley ahead; habits are your steering wheel. Habits are subconscious activities, like the programming of various software in the human body. Once activated, they unfold according to set programs. When it comes to successful people, they seem to always succeed, while those who fail seem to always fail. Lu Zhixin, a Ph.D. in psychology from Peking University, said, "The word 'habit' is at play. A person who is accustomed to laziness will loaf around aimlessly; a person who is accustomed to diligence will persevere, overcome all difficulties, and do every task well." In Of Studies, philosopher Francis Bacon specifically discussed the relationship between habits and destiny. He profoundly pointed out, "People's actions are mostly determined by habits. No natural inclination or promise is as powerful as habit. Even if people swear, vow, or promise, it makes little difference." There is a story like this: Forty years ago, Soviet astronaut Yuri Gagarin boarded the Vostok spacecraft and traveled into space for 108 minutes, becoming the world's first astronaut to enter space. This honor was not attainable by everyone, and he stood out among 20 astronauts, all thanks to his good habits. During the selection process, the 20 candidates were evenly matched, eager to prove themselves. Before the rehearsal, the chief designer noticed that only Gagarin had taken off his shoes before entering the spacecraft. In fact, taking off his shoes was just his habit—he didn’t want to dirty the cabin. The chief designer saw how he cherished the spacecraft, which he had poured his heart and sweat into. He was deeply moved. So, he immediately decided to assign Gagarin to the test flight. This example tells us that success starts with taking off your shoes—how important such details are. A worker from a large renovation company lost his job, but thanks to one of his good habits, he quickly found a new job and even took on painting projects for several companies, successfully becoming a small business owner. After losing his job, he first went to apply for a position at a company. During the trial period, many applicants entered the machine core directly in their shoes, but only he took off his shoes, wrapped them in plastic film, and then entered to paint. The boss immediately noticed him and praised him highly, while also actively recommending him to other manufacturers. This laid-off painter later started his own painting team and became a small business owner. Everyone could see that good habits had determined his destiny. A single action or behavior, when repeated multiple times, can enter a person’s subconscious and become a habitual action. Accumulating knowledge, increasing talent, and breaking through limits are all results of repeated actions becoming habitual. Some people pay too much attention to the talents, intelligence, charm, and enthusiasm demonstrated by outstanding and strong individuals. However, if we analyze those performances, we will find a simple key: habits. On us, good habits and bad habits coexist. To change our destiny and achieve success, the most important thing is to discard bad habits and cultivate and rely on the power of good habits to face the winds and waves. P7-9