an online book by David Gurteen
Habits are actions or behaviors that we repeat regularly and tend to occur subconsciously. They shape our daily routines and can positively or negatively impact our lives.
A habit (or wont, as a humorous and formal term) is a routine of behavior that is repeated regularly and tends to occur subconsciously.
A 1903 paper in the American Journal of Psychology defined a "habit, from the standpoint of psychology, [as] a more or less fixed way of thinking, willing, or feeling acquired through previous repetition of a mental experience." Habitual behavior often goes unnoticed by persons exhibiting it, because a person does not need to engage in self-analysis when undertaking routine tasks. Habits are sometimes compulsory. A 2002 daily experience study by habit researcher Wendy Wood and her colleagues found that approximately 43% of daily behaviors are performed out of habit. New behaviours can become automatic through the process of habit formation. Old habits are hard to break and new habits are hard to form because the behavioural patterns that humans repeat become imprinted in neural pathways, but it is possible to form new habits through repetition.
When behaviors are repeated in a consistent context, there is an incremental increase in the link between the context and the action. This increases the automaticity of the behavior in that context. Features of an automatic behavior are all or some of: efficiency, lack of awareness, unintentionality, and uncontrollability.
Credit: Wikipedia - habitStephen R. Covey was an American educator, author, businessman, and keynote speaker. His most popular book is The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. I discovered Stephen’s book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People in 1989 shortly after it was first published. The book had a massive impact on me and I attended one … Continue reading Stephen R. Covey Educator, Author and Speaker
Your beliefs become your thoughts, Your thoughts become your words, Your words become your actions, Your actions become your habits, Your habits become your values, Your values become your destiny. Credit: Mahatma Gandhi Posts where this quotation is embedded Changing People ** What right do we have to try to change someone? Circles of Engagement ** Conversation Sharpens … Continue reading Your Beliefs Become Your Thoughts Mahatma Gandhi
Unfortunately we are so steeped in debate, proving one’s point and challenging others, that alternative possibilities for interaction are often eclipsed from our view. It is interesting to notice that even when we say we want to dialogue we commonly end up in debate. We appear to have a longing to do something different but … Continue reading We Are So Steeped in Debate Theodore Zeldin
Conversation is a meeting of minds with different memories and habits. When minds meet, they don’t just exchange facts: they transform them, reshape them, draw different implications from them, and engage in new trains of thought. Conversation doesn’t just reshuffle the cards: it creates new cards. Credit: Theodore Zeldin Posts where this quotation is embedded Changing … Continue reading When Minds Meet Theodore Zeldin
Whether in conversation we generally agree or disagree with others is largely a matter of habit: the one tendency makes as much sense as the other. Credit: Friedrich Nietzsche Posts where this quotation is embedded Changing People ** What right do we have to try to change someone? Circles of Engagement ** Conversation Sharpens the Saw It is … Continue reading Generally Agreeing or Disagreeing with Others Is Largely a Matter of Habit Friedrich Nietzsche
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey is a self-help book that outlines a framework for developing habits that can lead to success personally and professionally. The 7 habits are: 1. Be Proactive – Take initiative and responsibility for your life rather than blame others. 2. Begin with the End in Mind … Continue reading The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People: Restoring the Character Ethic by Stephen R. Covey (1990)
Conversational Leadership is a practice we can all engage in, regardless of our position, whether it is CEO or a new graduate employee. We can also practice it in our personal and social lives. One might even say it is a way of life. To begin, here are a couple of definitions: The foundation of … Continue reading Indroduction: Practicing Conversational Leadership Anyone can practice conversational leadership
Habits can be classified in various ways, but two commonly recognized ways are micro-habits and macro-habits. Micro-habits A micro-habit is a small, often subconscious action that is regularly performed, which can positively or negatively impact a conversation. These are habits that we can learn to recognize and develop or eliminate over time. Examples of positive … Continue reading Introduction: Conversational Habits The habitual ways in which we practice Conversational Leadership
Mindsets are our mental attitudes or approaches to a particular situation or task. They are shaped by our beliefs, values, and experiences and can impact our ability to adapt to change, solve problems, and achieve goals. What are mindsets? Mindsets are the collection of mental attitudes and approaches towards a particular situation or task. They … Continue reading What Are Mindsets? Ways of thinking, mental inclinations, dispositions, or frames of mind
Converse: To work more effectively we need to improve our conversational skills and habits. These are the habitual ways in which we communicate with each other face-to-face and the conversational methods we employ to convene group conversations. Conversing better is the heart of Conversational Leadership. You can learn more about improving your conversational skills in the chapter of … Continue reading IV. Leverage the Power of Conversation We need to improve our conversational skills
