 Australia has a habit of digging up coal for power and metallurgical purposes. The coal industry makes for a useful analogy to explain some important ideas about habit creation and change. I’m not pro-coal or anti-coal, as a born and bred Novocastrian coal is in my blood (and probably in my lungs too) and, notwithstanding the broader environmental context, we in Newcastle owe a lot to the industry. Regardless, this post is about habits – not politics, economics or environmental policy.
 We are fast approaching that part of every year where we tend to take a break, reflect and start making plans and setting personal goals. It seems that the New Year is the perfect moment to take stock and look at changing some habits.
 Think about the very basis for defining life of an organism – any organism.
Question: What one condition is critical for all life? Answer: Relative sameness, relative stability! Habit change can be hard because the major measure of 'good' as far as your body is concerned is its reference to 'normal'. |