“All our life, so far as it has definite form, is but a mass of habits – practical, emotional, and intellectual – systematically organized for our weal or woe, and bearing us irresistibly toward our destiny…” Charles Duhigg, Pulitzer Prize-winning American author
I am a big proponent of creating a daily formula for success in life. Part of my emphasis on doing this is because it produces one of the most powerful elements for achievement. Habits.
Some habits have more influence than others. I wrote about this topic in a previous newsletter edition. These powerful practices are called keystone habits. They can affect multiple areas of your life or your organization.
In the company that my wife and I own, Hackbarth Delivery Service, Inc., we have made a huge investment, physically and financially, into a broad spectrum of safety. We are doing this because we care about the safety of our team and others who may be impacted by our actions. But, we also realize that being safe has the ability to affect other organizational goals, like customer service and profitability. Safety is a keystone habit. As a result of this thinking, we have made safety a strategy in our company.
Habits are key to success for organizations and individuals. In a recent article, the staff of Success Magazine gathered a group of motivational quotes that may inspire successful habits:
“Habit is a cable; we weave a thread each day, and at last we cannot break it.” Horace Mann, J.D.
“You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.” John C. Maxwell
One of the most powerful and influential decisions I made decades ago when we started our transportation company that has grown into a great success, was the adoption of a success formula. My template which inspired the daily practice of powerful habits was written on a 3 by 5 card, laminated and put in my wallet. Every time I took out cash or a credit card, I saw my success template and was reminded of the plan that I had chosen.
The practice of constantly reviewing my own blueprint, multiple times each day, became a habit. Eventually, my plan was memorized and I knew by heart all the actions that I had committed to make regular habits. If I had a problem on any given day, I would choose one or two practices that I discerned would help me to meet my challenges. When an opportunity appeared, the same process would be followed. I would choose an action to utilize that day’s chance for success. With some modifications over the years, this process still remains my daily formula for success. What is your formula? Do you have one? A simple, daily blueprint for a lifetime of achievement is available for everyone.
My definition of success is “being and becoming the best at what I am meant to be and do in life.”
- How would you rate your progress on your success journey?
- Do you have a daily success formula? How is it working?
- What current habits impede your progress?
- What is your keystone habit?
I could wait until next month or year to . . .
Or, I could today . . .
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.