Presently, I am adding time and miles to my normal runs as I work toward my goal of completing an ultra-marathon.   As I increase my miles I am seeking to maintain a sustainable pace and resulting heart rate which allow me to go the distance.  In order to maintain a sustainable heart rate, I find my pace changing as I ascend and descend hills.  Going uphill, I shorten my stride and slow my pace to keep my heart rate where it needs to be.  Conversely, as I head downhill I am able to lengthen my stride and cover more ground, making up for the slower pace I had going uphill.

I have found habits are much like a steady heart rate in this marathon called life.  There are many obstacles, like the hills in a run, which can slow us down and cause us to lose our pace or perhaps even sight of our goals.  Thankfully, this is where habits come in.  Habits help us keep pace when our world gets chaotic and loud, or when sometimes overwhelming distractions arise.

Habits help us with the following:

• Act without having to think and use mental energy.
• Give us a comfortable place in the midst of chaotic events.
• Provide a framework with which we can reach our goals.
• Assist us with productivity and help us shape our day.
• Help us define our boundaries assist us in defining what is and what is not important.

So what?  Not to oversimply things, but when it comes to habits there are two kinds of people in the world.  Those who form habits easily, and those who struggle with habits.  For those who form habits easily, congratulations, keep doing what you’re doing.  For those who struggle with forming habits, check back for the next post in which we will discuss proven techniques to build strong habits.