Time to review what I’m learning about procrastination and habits! How are they connected? How can I benefit from the connection? How does the Lord want to use what I’m learning?
I like to distill things I’ve studied – pour it all through a funnel and see the most important ‚Äòtakeaways’ drip out. Or, sift it all and find the gold nuggets.
Today, I’m going to select nuggets from our four habit-focused weeks. I hope this helps you too.
. Habits are automatic behavioral patterns. I form them in my brain, muscles – and heart.
. With my habits, I cooperate, co-labor with the Lord – or resist Him.
. Habits hinder or help me in what God calls me to do.
. My habits can facilitate (make easier!) the accomplishment of what God calls me to do.
. Direction, not intention, determines destination. (Pastor Andy Stanley) Not what I intend to do- but what I do- determines my destination-what I become or accomplish.
. What I actually do is the direction I am going.
. Habits are a major determiner of the direction of my life and where I will end up.
. Habits of procrastination divert me from my intentions and God’s calling. Procrastination puts me on a different road than I intend.
. Keystone habits are those that other habits rest on or come from. Changing a keystone habit affects other habits. (Charles Duhigg)
. Procrastination itself can be a keystone habit – a default position I may not recognize.
. Diligence – do what needs doing when it needs doing – can become my habit.
. To change a habit, I find what cue triggers my response, see the routine I then follow, and notice the reward I get from it (to satisfy a craving). To change the habit, I change the routine. (Duhigg)
. With procrastination, I crave relief from a task so I put it off and receive temporary relief. The true, greater relief I crave is the task completed. Procrastination denies me that relief. My burden increases. If I’m reminded to do the task (cue) and do it (changed routine), I receive true relief (reward).
My brain, heart, and muscles can learn habits that make it easier for me to co-labor with God. I can form habits that further my direction on the road to Christlikeness and fulfilled calling.
What would you like to make easier to accomplish in your life? How can you form a habit to do that?
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