Get Into the Habit of Success

Many years ago, very early on in my people    The Light Code Review   management career, I was conducting a performance review on a young employee who was working part time while going to University. Although his performance was adequate, it most definitely was not stellar. During our conversation I asked him why he didn't perform up to his obvious capabilities. I'll never forget the reason he gave me for not giving 100% effort while at work. He said, "this is just a temporary job for me, I'm not going to be here for very long, so why knock myself out." He was right...he wasn't there very long.

This person, as educated as he was, missed a very simple and important point. Repeated actions become habits, habits become character and your character follows you wherever you go. By giving less than his best, he was creating a habit of mediocrity that would follow him throughout his life and on into his chosen profession.

It has always amazed me how many people believe that they can turn habits on and off like light switches. How many people work at less than their best while at work and then complain that they can't seem to get the results that they desire in other areas of their lives. The fact of the matter is that we are defined by our habits. If you make a habit of not giving 100%, that habit will follow you wherever you go and in every context of your life. If your unorganized at work...your probably unorganized at home. If you procrastinate at home...you probably do so at work too. Habits rarely change from one context to another.


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