The role that habit plays ~ The highest payoff habits

An element of more with less that can make a big difference to our lives is the role that habit plays. Anything we do is much more difficult the first time, and gets progressively easier the more we do it, to the point where it becomes easier to do it than not to do it. A terrific example is exercise. Walking five miles is extremely tough the first time you do it, but if you do it every day, nothing could be easier. In fact, both body and mind get used to anything we do after about two weeks: it becomes second nature.

What’s difficult becomes

easy

and what’s easy

often creates difficulties.

Although we can change our habits at any time, it’s easier to change earlier in life. If we always do what’s easy — such as overeating, driving everywhere rather than walking, or getting angry at the least provocation — we’ll find it difficult to reverse the habit a few years later. On the other hand, if we do a few hugely worthwhile things that are hard to start with, we’ll find before long that they become easy.

A few great habits are vital because without continuous renewal we can lose things we’ve worked very hard for. It doesn’t matter, for example, how intense a fitness program is — after a month of inactivity all the benefits will be gone. Why work hard for nothing, when a few habits that become second nature can give you a healthy rhythm every day?

We get more reward with less energy if we adopt rewarding habits earlier rather than later. But also, given human nature, we’d better be selective about the good habits we’re going to adopt. We get more happiness with less effort if we carefully select a few excellent habits we’d like to have and master these, not bothering about all the other good habits we could in theory cultivate. There’s a limit to the number of good habits most of us can practice. Yet a few habits can have a phenomenal effect on our happiness throughout life — we get a massive bonanza from a little upfront effort.

It’s for you, not me, to decide which high-payoff new habits to cultivate now (you’ll lose out by leaving it till later). You shouldn’t choose a habit because it’s morally “good,” but because of the huge benefit to you. Just choose seven super-rewarding habits that will be your friends for life.

Overleaf are some examples of habits with huge benefits (if the benefits matter to you; only you can judge). Choose your seven high-payoff habits carefully! Get more happiness for less effort!

Pick the few high-payoff habits that will make you happiest. The list is far from exhaustive, so add any habits that have the potential to make you very happy, then master your seven.