The power of habits

I know everyone probably puts their contact lenses in a little different. I put one on the tip of a finger, sprinkle it with the saline, then put the other side up on another finger, sprinkle saline on that side, then slip it onto my eye.

Repeat for the next eye.

The other day I was putting my contact lenses in my eyes. I noticed I was using different fingers to do this than I had originally started to use way back when I first started using contacts. I had been using these different fingers for a long time.

The reason I had changed was due to a worksite injury when I cut the tip of one of my 'normal' fingers I use for the contacts. The cut didn't heal for over a month. During this time - over 30 days - I had used the 'new' finger in the process. By doing so, I had established a new habit with the different finger, that I still use to this day.

It takes between 21 - 28 days of uninterupted repitition to establish a new habit that replaces another one. After this time, the brain actually 'rewires' itself, and changes, in order to view this habit as what you should now do.

We all have our routine, for instance, in the shower, that we go through. I start with washing what little I have left of my hair. Then I procede to steps B through H, or whatever. If for some reason I am daydreaming and miss washing my hair to start, then find myself on step B, my brain automatically goes to step C, then D, and so on, until I step out of the shower, only to realize later I didn't wash my hair.

So, what's the point of all this? We become a slave to our habits, which are the basis of our routines. We can establish bad habits that will put our life on automatic pilot to destruction before we know it, or we can establish good habits that make us more efficient and productive.

Simply beware that the small things you start doing are soon forged into chains you cannot easily shake. Establish the good habits that replace those you desire to lose. Soon you will see the fruits of your labor multiplied ten-fold, allowing you to concentrate on that which you desire, leaving the minor details to your automatic mind.

Jerk

No, it wasn't me on this machine and I'm not trying to make it look as if I can do a lot of weight. Truth is, it doesn't take a lot of real effort to do this, and I'll get to that in a sec.

The point is, when I came into the gym (Anytime Fitness in St. Paul, MN) on Sunday, June 15, 2011, at 0600 in the morning, this is what I saw. There were two other people in the gym that morning - one girl (115 pounds and about 5' 4") and some guy - the guy happened to be using this machine.

A few minutes later the guy decided to leave. I paid very little attention to it until I noticed that the girl who was the other person in the gym, wanted to use the machine the guy was working out on. What do you suppose she had to do? She practically got her workout from removing all the weights that moron left on the machine.

First of all, when I saw the guy working out on one of his sets, he couldn't even do the weight properly. He bent his knees about three inches, and at the same time used his hands and arms, pushing up on his legs, to assist him in getting the weight up. He's obviously one of those people who has such low self esteem he's more concerned with what it looks like he can do, using poor form and risking injury in the process, than getting the best result from proper effort.

In short, he's not only a loser in the sense of being a lifter, he's a loser for leaving all his weights on the machine because he's too lazy, arrogant, and inconsiderate to remove them for anyone who follows him. In short, he's telling the next person that he's better than you, and you can be his servant and remove his weights.

It's funny how much one can learn about someone else in situations completely unrelated to how you would normally interact. However, it's these small actions that really show your true character. And remember, someone is watching everything you do.