Winning: the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People and Good Habits

Winning Have you ever taken a look at a winner? I mean, really look at them. If you look them in the eyes, study their body language, or pay attention to the way the speak, you’ll notice that everything they do is done in a way that makes them different from everyone else. In The Psychology of Winning, Dr. Denis Waitley defines winning as “one’s own personal pursuit of individual excellence” (8). Winning can be done in any aspect of life: a sport, job, classroom, or even one’s home. Although there are many traits and characteristics that define a winning person, the most important ones include practicing good habits, setting goals, taking action, and having a burning desire to succeed. The first thing that needs to be done in order to win is to be aware of your habits. There are two different types of habits--good and bad ones. Some examples of good habits include: smiling, going to class on time, waking up early, eating healthy food, practicing good study habits, exercising regularly and being honest with yourself and others. On the other hand, examples of bad habits are smoking, procrastinating, drinking alcohol, eating fast food, staying up late, and taking advantage of people. “Habits are powerful factors in our lives,” Stephen Covey writes in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. He further supports this idea by explaining that “because they are consistent, often unconscious patterns, they constantly, daily, express our character and produce our effectiveness . . . or ineffectiveness” (46). Everyone has some good habits that they practice as well as bad ones. Good habits are based on principles while bad habits tend to be controlled by addictions. They are things that we do day in and day out, things that define who we are. With that being said, in order to become a winner, you must learn how to control your habits.
Winners know that practicing good habits is a key factor on the road to success. Because good and bad habits can both become second