People sometimes wonder why it is easy to form bad habits and so hard to form good habits. Yet the reason is plan. On all occasions our natural inclination is to take the line of less resistance. It require at first a distinct effort and a firm hold over our selves to take the more difficult of two possible courses. For instance, it is easier to lie snug and warm in bed on cold morning, than to get up early. When we get into a scrape, it is easier to evade punishment by telling a lie, than to face the consequences and tell the truth. When we are in a company of jovial friends, it is hard to face their displeasure and jeers by refusing to drink wine, so we do the easier thing and drink.
Now a habit is formed by repetition. Every time we yield to a temptation, it is easier to yield and harder to resist the next time. Every time we take the easier way and lie in bed in the morning, we form a habit of late rising and at last become lazy. Each time we tell a lie, we make it easier to tell more lies, until we get into the habit of lying. And the more often we drink, strong drink, the more we want to drink, until, it may be, drink craving holds us, and we become drunkards.
Happily, good habits are formed in the same way. They require effort and determination at first; but every time we resist temptation and do what s in the long run wise and good, we make the next struggle less severe; until at last, by persistent repetition, we form a good habit which it would be hard to break even if we wanted to break it, get into the habit of early rising, and you will not want to lie in bed like lazybones; get into the habit of always telling the truth, and to tell lie will be real difficult; get into the habit of personal cleanliness by regular washing, and you will feel miserable if you miss your bath. As some has said -`Choose that manner of life which is the best, and custom will render it most delightful’.
Now character is a bundle of our habits. If we form good habits, we build up a good character; if we allow bad habits to establish themselves, our character becomes bad. For a habit, once formed, is difficult to break; and as our habits get settled, our character becomes set. How important it is, then, that, while we are young and before our habits become so fixed that they cannot be changed, we should see to it that the habits we are forming are only good! When the metal is molten, we can run it into any mould we like; but when it cools and becomes and, we cannot change its shape. When the tree is young, we can bend its trunk and branches as we please; but when it is old, we can not change its form without breaking or cutting it down.
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