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Bhaktivedanta Coaching Newsletter

 

How to Identify Bad Habits

 

Be aware of the habits that are not working for you. Many of our habits,

patterns, idiosyncrasies and quirks are invisible, causing one renowned

author to observe, “We all need an education in the obvious.” So let’s look

more closely at the habits that are perhaps holding us back. We are probably

conscious of a few right away. Here are some common ones I have received

from my coaching clients:

 

Not chanting attentively.

Not attending the morning program.

Not reading Srila Prabhupada's books daily.

Not returning phone calls on time.

Being late for meetings and appointments.

Poor communication between devotees.

A lack of clarity about expected outcomes,monthly targets, goals, etc.

Not allowing enough travel time for outside appointments.

Not attending to paperwork quickly and efficiently.

Allowing bills to go unpaid, resulting in interest penalties.

Talking instead of listening.

Hitting the snooze alarm several times in the morning before getting out of

bed.

Not spending enough time with family.

Having a fast-food meals program Monday to Friday.

Eating at irregular times of the day.

Socializing too much on the telephone.

Making travel reservations at the last minute.

Not following through on time as promised, with other people’s requests.

Having mobile phone on all the time.

Controlling every decision, especially the small stuff you need to let go

of!

Procrastinating on everything from filing taxes to cleaning out your garage.

 

Now check yourself out by making a list of all the habits that keep you

unproductive. Block off an hour or more so you can really think through this

process. And plan it so you won't be interrupted. It's a worthy exercise and

will give you a strong foundation for improving your results in the years

ahead. In fact, these bad habits, or obstacles to your goals, really

act as a springboard to your future success. Until you clearly understand

what is holding you back, it's difficult to create more productive habits.

 

Another way to identify your unproductive behavior is to ask for feedback.

Talk to people you respect and admire, and who know you well. Ask them what

they observe about your bad habits. Look for consistency. If you talk to ten

people and eight of them say you never return phone calls on time, pay

attention. Remember this - your outward behavior is the reality, whereas

your inner perception of your behavior is often an illusion. If you are open

to good honest feedback, you can make adjustments quickly and eliminate bad

habits permanently.

 

Coaching Link

 

www.thesuccessprinciples.com