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4 • Habits - Part 3

Now the best way to "change" any bad habit is to replace it with a good habit. Sometimes, in the case of mental habits, something as simple as dressing differently can help you. If you've always worn dark blue suits, get a brown one. If you've always worn four-in-hand ties, live a little—get a bow tie!

Deliberately vary your living routine. Try driving to work or driving home a different way—even a different way every day for a week. Try changing your meals around—try soup for break­fast some morning. (It actually makes a very good breakfast!)

Give your mind some thinking to do that is different from what it is normally called upon to do. Read books that make you think. These don't have to be "great" literature—even a 25-cent detec­tive story can do it: stick with the story until you've got all the clues that Inspector Bloodstone has, then close the book; analyze the case; and imagine an ending yourself.

Begin associating with people who make you think. These won't necessarily be people who always agree with you—in fact, you may find yourself disagreeing with them most of the time. But make sure it is not blind disagreement. Really try to under­stand them and why they think as they do. This will help you understand yourself better.

A change of pace can help you avoid getting into a mental rut on your job. If you've been sticking at one type of work for some time—say two or three hours—put it aside and do some­thing else. Something completely different. One executive re­ported that his formula is "to slip over into the park and just relax. It's the quickest way I know to snap myself out of a mental roadblock."

The key to getting out of a rut—or avoiding one in the first place—seems to be to do something completely out of your regu­lar routine, rather than to continue the fight to get ahead by means of your regular routine.

And as you go after these new experiences, practice the art of relating them to you, your job, and your problems. Learn to look around you—at everything. And as you observe, ask questions about what you see. Ask yourself: Why was this made this way? Why was this done like this? Is this object really necessary? What would happen to the whole if this detail were eliminated? How can this be improved? Don't let your own habits or conformity to other people's thinking stop you. There's a better way to do anything, and if you ask enough questions you will begin to find the better ways!

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