Old Habits are Hard to Break

William James was quick to point out the fact that most of life is habitual, going so far as to say that “we are mere bundles of habits”. Regardless of if you choose to admit it or not, James was definitely on to something. For most people, daily life is a force of habit; schedules, routines, relationships, and traditions all echo habit. Not to mention the fact that most all of us have our own personal habits we have acquired along the way, both good and bad. As an enormously influential thinker, James found great interest in how the role of habit might be put to work to greater uses in ways that could improve our lives and better our general condition. Even though breaking those habits that are destructive and building habits that are more beneficial is difficult, James was quick to point out that instinctive behavior is not “blind and invariable”. Instead he believed that these behaviors could be self-developed as well as modified. This is good news if you’re anything like me. We all have those vices in our life that we wish we could rid ourselves of, as well as the ones like eating healthier and exercising more that we wish we could stick to. Luckily James was kind enough to provide tips relevant to those of us resistant to change. James suggests placing yourself in circumstances that encourage good habits and discourage bad ones while not allowing yourself to act contrary to a new habit you are trying to develop. Furthermore, he urged us not to slowly attempt to develop a good habit or eliminate a bad one but instead to engage in the positive behavior entirely to begin with and to completely abstain from the bad ones. James explained that it is not the intention behind wanting to engage in good habits and avoid bad ones that is important but the act of actually doing so by forcing yourself to act in ways that are beneficial to you, even if doing so at first is distasteful and requires considerable effort. Well, all of that sounds great in theory, but let’s be real: it’s much easier said than done. Life can become a force of habit, and change is always tough. However, when it comes down to it, William James was right. It’s never too late to get started. Act in ways that are compatible with the type of person you would like to become and quit looking for things to get any easier. “Every good that is worth possessing” counseled William James, “must be paid for in strokes of daily effort.”