“But what does Socrates say? ‘Just as one person delights in improving his farm, and another his horse, so I delight in attending to my own improvement day by day.’” — Stoic Philosopher Epictetus
Our habits are a reflection of our deepest values. They are the wind in our sails as we travel toward our goals.
But how do we know that we’re sailing in the right direction? Before we set out, we need to analyze which habits will be most useful for getting us where we’re trying to go.
We’ll look at the five life domains we feature on KMOT, and assess some bad habits and good habits for each:
1. Food Habits for Goal Seekers
Food is fuel, and wherever you go, you take your body with you.
So, the best habits concerning food should involve making sure your body is well-nourished and well-maintained, in addition to leaving some room for indulgence.
Good Food Habits
- Prepping your meals in advance.
- Practicing intermittent fasting.
**This is the practice of consuming all of your meals in one time window in the day (like between 1 PM and 7 PM, for example). Fasting for the majority of the day has been shown to reduce inflammation, prevent disease, and aid in weight loss.
- Tracking your macronutrient intake.
- Giving yourself occasional “cheat” meals.
**A cheat meal is your earned break from healthier meal options. Allowing for the occasional treat makes regular healthy eating more sustainable.
- Learning basic cooking skills for healthier eating and avoiding too much-prepackaged food.
Bad Food Habits
- Eating past the point of fullness.
- Getting most of your calories from snacks.
- Eating whatever, whenever.
- Always ordering out.
- Eating out of boredom instead of hunger.
2. Social Habits for Goal Seekers
Prioritizing people is one of the most important things you can do.
If you want a life filled with meaningful connections, then you need to form habits around creating, maintaining, and cultivating relationships.
Good Social Habits
- Going out of your way to speak to others (even if it makes you uncomfortable).
**According to a 2014 study on the emotional states of morning bus commuters, those who chose to engage in conversation with strangers on their commute reported significantly higher levels of happiness after their trip.
This reflects our innate need to connect with one another, and our unfounded hesitance toward friendly conversation in the modern world.
- Reaching out to friends on a regular basis.
**In the book Top Five Regrets of the Dying, palliative care nurse Bronnie Ware lays out what people admit to her on their deathbeds about what they regret most. One of the most common regrets they share is “I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.”
She wrote:
“Often they would not truly realise the full benefits of old friends until their dying weeks and it was not always possible to track them down. Many had become so caught up in their own lives that they had let golden friendships slip by over the years.”
Adult life can make maintaining relationships difficult, but staying in touch with people is essential.
- Remembering birthdays and special occasions.
- Calling people on the phone instead of texting them, or better yet, seeing them in person.
- Being the plan maker.
Bad Social Habits
- Letting relationships wither because you get too caught up in work, school, or distractions.
- Ignoring or forgetting about the people who reach out to you.
- Always staying in your social comfort zone.
- Flaking on plans or consistently showing up late to events.
- Gossiping and talking behind people’s backs.
3. Fitness Habits for Goal Seekers
Physical exercise is basically a miracle drug. Some even call it the fountain of youth.
But, you can only reap its benefits by approaching it with the correct habits.
Good Fitness Habits
- Finding some form of exercise that is doable for you, and doing it consistently.
**Whether you’re regularly taking walks or squatting 98kg, consistent activity is the key to fitness.
- Systematizing your workouts and tracking your progress.
- Not leaving a workout without knowing that you’ve pushed yourself a little beyond what you’re capable of.
- Learning stretching and yoga techniques for injury prevention and joint health.
- Doing a mixture of aerobic (endurance) and anaerobic (strength) exercises.
Bad Fitness Habits
- “Rewarding” yourself by eating unhealthy meals after every workout.
- Attempting to lift heavy on an exercise before you’ve mastered its form.
- Only working out when it is convenient for you, instead of trying to keep a consistent schedule.
- Overtraining and ignoring rest days.
- Turning minor injuries into major ones by working areas you should be leaving alone.
4. Financial Habits for Goal Seekers
Money isn’t everything, but being bad with money will affect just about everything.
That’s why good financial habits are critical for living a well-balanced life. With your affairs in order, your financial freedom will increase.
Good Financial Habits
- Making a list of what you make and spend in an average month. Adjust this as your expenses and income fluctuate over time.
- Always trying to live slightly below your means.
- Making specific money goals, like building up savings for a dream trip, or retiring by a certain age.
- Regularly checking your credit score.
- Working to create passive income sources for yourself.
- Making sure your bank isn’t charging you any hidden fees.
Bad Financial Habits
- Reckless spending, and disregarding saving.
- Shopping excessively to boost your mood.
- Taking out loans that you aren’t sure you’ll be able to pay for.
- Trying to keep up with the Joneses.
** Psychologists call this conspicuous consumption. You live an extravagant lifestyle purely to communicate your status and impress the people around you.
Not only could this put you into dire financial straits, but it could turn your life into an empty, inauthentic performance.
- Overspending on conveniences like ordering take-out.
5. Philanthropy Habits for Goal Seekers
Not a lot of people are in a position to make philanthropy a habit, but giving back is more than just monetary.
Small actions accumulate over time in the same way that investment contributions compound over time. The more you make giving back a habit, the bigger an impact you can make.
Good Philanthropy Habits
- Volunteering on a regular basis — This can be in the form of community engagement, mentoring, or helping the less fortunate.
- If you have the means, find an organization you can trust and donate a bit of money every month.
- Trying Virtual Volunteering — You only have to dedicate 30 minutes of your time to be a youth mentor, and you can do the whole process virtually.
Bad Philanthropy Habits
There really are no bad ways to go about giving back.
Volunteering at all is more than most are willing to do.
You should just ensure that the organizations you’re contributing to are meaningful, legitimate, and will make a real difference in someone’s life.
Goal Seekers Choose Their Habits Carefully
Being conscious of how you spend your time is incredibly powerful, and analyzing how you live out your days is the key to reaching any goal.
To quote once more the great Stoic Epictetus:
“Every habit and capability is confirmed and grows in its corresponding actions, walking by walking, and running by running . . . therefore, if you want to do something, make a habit of it.”