Sometimes the most impactful things in life are the smallest. How many times have you been bitten by an elephant? Now, how many times have you been bitten by a mosquito? Men focus on the outcome rather than the process. We all want to be in control of our finances, our careers, our health, our relationships, etc with little to no effort behind it. Wouldn’t it be amazing to simply make things work? Wrong! It wouldn’t. You would bypass what is important: The process and journey that build character and reinforce an identity that leads to sustainable results in your life. These are seemingly insignificant but yet powerful actions in our day-to-day lives that either make or break us. That is the power of habits.
“The cost of your good habits is in the present. The cost of your bad habits is in the future.” Absolute Motivation
Success, wealth, happiness, and overall abundance are direct reflections of those daily choices we make. Daily choices establish a mindset that focuses on processes geared towards a vision or goal. However, men place a strong emphasis on an instant reward.
It is the difference between making you and breaking you. This is at the core of the power of habits.
The Mindset Behind Habits
Your habits reinforce your identity. Again, habits are critical in the process of building character. Therefore, it reinforces an identity determined by behavior and ultimately the outcome. The power of habits is behind who we are and what we ultimately achieve in life. Yet it is one of the most critical aspects in our lives men overlook and ignore. Partially because we fail to recognize it is really a mindset.
When your mindset shifts, every aspect of your life inevitably changes. Whether that mindset is constructive or destructive is a separate discussion. But the point is that the mindset dictates men’s lives.
Habits are nothing but a mindset. Just as happiness is a mindset. We fail to recognize this because men are driven by behavior rather than belief. The smallest actions dictate belief and make a major impact on outcomes unknowingly. It is absolutely a domino effect because the power of habits is beyond the habits/actions themselves. A mindset and foundation are being cemented in the process, which is why the process is critical. The most common example is procrastination. Every time you procrastinate you are telling yourself is okay to push back on the task at hand. This translates to every aspect of your life. Meaning when you snooze the alarm in the morning, you are allowing your mind to hit the snooze button on that house project, dream, etc down the line as well. Perhaps unknowingly, but unfortunately the case. 
The mindset behind habits is that of building constructive building blocks that translate into much more recognizable outcomes in the future.
The Behavior of Habits
We briefly mentioned this concept but it is important to go in-depth. According to Absolute Motivation which is a YouTube channel we are big fans of we should “let the behavior drive the belief, rather than the belief drive the behavior.”
Let’s break this down together.
What are some habits in your life that are constructive? And on the other hand, are destructive? Take a moment to think about these questions and analyze your day-to-day life.
Let us assume what the very first task you accomplish at the start of your day is: Hit the snooze button a few times at the start of your day and then proceed to check your phone. It is important to note, Modern Man Advice is not against Technology, we actually believe in its power. We are simply big advocates of not letting Technology isolate you. Having said that, using the above as an example for this section. There is a behavioral component that dictates what we can achieve on a daily and long-term basis. 
Just the simple action to procrastinate at the very start of your day is a major tell-tale sign for how your day and subsequently your life will unfold. It is cementing and ingraining a behavior that effectively shapes your identity and character. And what is more alarming is that this is only one out of hundreds, if not thousands, of destructive habits we have.
Focus On Process
Yes, the process is important. As important as the very mindset you are trying to establish to attain success, wealth, and overall abundance in your life. One of the biggest factors many men are underachieving or settling for less than they deserve is the constant battle with life. We fight against it, instead of working with it. We put in little or no effort and expect an instant reward or result, but life doesn’t work that way. As mentioned above, men place a strong emphasis on instant reward and this is causing a sense of mental, physical, and spiritual defeat.
However, what we must be placing a strong emphasis on is the process. The process and journey to building constructive habits are extremely important. It is the process that will bring sustainable results. And it is this process that builds the character that sees an opportunity for growth instead of obstacles.
The reason we make a point to highlight “sustainable results” is quite simple: Faking it is not the same as being it. Faking it might work temporarily but in the end, there is no solid foundation to sustain the life you want. Being it, on the other hand, is what will bring consistent personal growth and abundance.
Master and Expand Your Habits
It is not only important to establish a mindset, focus on the process, but nourishing and mastering constructive habits are extremely important as well. Life, much like yourself and everything around you, never stops evolving. So why would you? The possibilities are truly endless. However, you must continue to place an emphasis on this ongoing process. What this means is that you should always continue to challenge yourself, push your boundaries, expand your constructive habits. And more importantly, mastering them.
Let’s say you have established the habit to wake up, visualize the day ahead, and make your bed. That is a great way to start your day, you notice the difference in mood and productivity. But why not continue to master those tasks while adding a run, perhaps? Suddenly, you are adding a health aspect to those habits. What you have then is a difference in mood, productivity, and health. You might be surprised how these seemingly insignificant habits might have an impact on your life.
Naturally, these are just a few examples and ideas. But the point is to really embrace those habits and making them a part of who you are. Master and expand them.
Truly let the behavior drive the belief and you might be in for a surprise.
The Power of Habits: Are They Making or Breaking You?
Now that we have discussed this. Take a step back and keep yourself honest. What is your life telling you about who you are or have become? What is your soul screaming inside that you are not listening closely?
Men, much like in our “Masculinity: Breaking The Stereotypes” article, need to start asking ourselves these tough questions. Pretending these outstanding issues don’t exist or don’t affect you, doesn’t mean they don’t. On the contrary, not doing so will reflect in a not-so-distant future.
Remember, your future self will be extremely grateful to your present self.
Let us know what you think of this article and what are some of the biggest challenges you face when it comes to the power of habits. We would love to hear from you and continue to provide valuable advice.
Modern Man Advice
