Perhaps The Single Best Habit One May Acquire

Slowly, day by day (and that is key), I am growing as a father, a husband, an executive, a neighbor, a servant, and a child. My faith assures me that grace began to reverse my old habitual patterns of unproductive, even destructive thinking. When I ponder what attributes I possessed and what practical actions enabled a positive reversal in my life and career, it was my fascination with history and language and, especially, a taste for reading that made the difference.Reading was not a habit during much of my working life as it is today. I remembered that, as a kid, I could escape into the theatre of the mind for hours of blissful entertainment. Later in life I found that I could spend quality time with some of the greatest thinkers and experts in any given field, any time I wanted. I could sit down and "listen" to these men and women (sometimes children) tell me profound truths that would help shape my destiny. I need only embrace certain principles and apply certain actions to my work and daily living.

Unfortunately, I took a hiatus from daily reading for much of my early adult life. I fell into easy routines of work, "unwind," watch TV, pass out, and do it again tomorrow. Weekends? They could only mean one thing - play and party. After all, we work hard five days a week and need to play some too, right? Fair enough, but what was I playing at exactly? Use your imagination. The point is these habits resulted in years of mediocre professional performance and little or no growth.

It was not until I rediscovered the pleasure of reading; of satisfying a thirst for knowing more about my business and personal interests that I began to remove the shackles of easy routines and growth-stunting habits. Reading is an action that requires a degree of discipline - to pick up the book or article and focus on the content. Watching TV is passive and addicting. It's much easier to push a button and let the images and ideas be handed to you without any use of your own creative imagination. Yet, there is some good programming available on TV which is entertaining, educational and enlightening. It can be one of many ways to relax and be entertained but it doesn't require any participation in the formation of ideas and images. Reading requires active participation and that is why it exercises the mind and strengthens the intellect. The brain is an organ which needs exercise or it atrophies like an unused muscle. Reading is both fuel and delicious food for the mind.My life is rich today in many ways.

Reading taught me that the changes I longed for could be found through working at changing me. The manuals for great human achievement, including volumes of Napoleon Hill's works, are free for the finding in public libraries and on the Internet.Reading something positive daily works. It works on the intellect which works on the emotions which work on desire which works on the subconscious mind which works on motives which work on our actions. Our positive actions give valuable service and therefore make us more valuable to our fellows and more cherished children of God.