In our daily lives, we frequently engage in certain behaviours or activities; these have become so ingrained in our lives that they have evolved into natural patterns of behaviour, which we refer to as habits.

Such patterns of behaviour may be beneficial to our lives—that is, good habits.

They may also be detrimental to our lives—that is, bad habits.

The same habit may be defined in completely opposite terms by different people. For example, whilst playing video games for an hour every day is not a good habit for a secondary school student preparing for the university entrance examinations, for someone working in the video game streaming industry, it becomes a professional requirement.

Therefore, please do not generalise about habits; instead, try to view them objectively.

In order to develop good habits, you need to go through the following three stages.

• Firstly, you need to set a long-term goal, so that you can break this goal down into reasonable and achievable small habits and put them into practice.

What is it that you want to achieve? Do you want to read 30 books within a year? Or lose 2kg in half a year? Or perhaps obtain a particular qualification by the end of the year? If you want to read, you could set aside half an hour each day for reading; if you want to lose weight, you could go to the gym three times a week;

• Next, you need to map out the steps required to achieve this goal and draw up a plan, including a timetable and methods for forming the habit.

Here, I’d like to recommend a method for setting goals: the S.M.A.R.T. principle. I’ve already introduced this theory in a previous episode of Flow; I’ve included the link above, and I’d recommend everyone takes a look.

• Finally, it comes down to our unwavering persistence, whilst continually refining our habit plan as we put it into practice.

For example, suppose you initially set a habit plan to paint one picture a day, but after a month you realise this habit takes up too much of your time, making it difficult to maintain. In that case, you could revise the habit to painting for half an hour each day. By repeatedly practising these small, positive behaviours, your brain will gradually turn these good habits into ‘muscle memory’, making them effortless to carry out.

Correcting bad habits is just as important.

To correct bad habits, you first need to recognise them and make it clear in your mind that you need to change these behaviours.

Sometimes, because these habits have been ingrained in your daily life for so long that they have become second nature, you are no longer able to recognise them yourself; these are the hardest bad habits to correct. If this is the case, you may initially need reminders from friends around you; once you suddenly become aware of them yourself after a while, the process will become somewhat easier.

However, I must remind you that correcting bad habits is truly no easy task; it requires perseverance and determination to see results. That said, I do not want anyone to give up just yet.

Here is an approach and a set of steps to help you correct bad habits

• Step one, and the most crucial of all, is to recognise the bad habit you need to correct.

• Step two is to find a good habit to replace the existing bad one. This good habit must be straightforward and simple, something you can easily do. I’d like to recommend a book here: Mini Habits by Stephen Guise; I’m confident the methods in it will help you.

• Step three is to persevere relentlessly. Whilst practising the replacement behaviour, you must remain vigilant and persistent until the new behaviour becomes a natural pattern of behaviour.

Positive thinking refers to a way of thinking that views oneself and the world around one with a positive, optimistic and proactive attitude. By contrast, negative thinking refers to a way of thinking that views oneself and the world around one with a negative, pessimistic and despondent attitude.

People with a positive mindset typically exhibit the following characteristics:

• Positive and optimistic: People with a positive mindset always maintain an upbeat, optimistic and proactive attitude.

• Self-confidence and self-esteem: They possess sufficient self-confidence and self-esteem, are able to recognise their own strengths and merits, and are thus better able to realise their potential.

• Problem-solving skills: They possess the ability to solve problems, analyse issues, and identify solutions and approaches.

• A commitment to learning and growth: They consistently maintain a mindset focused on learning and development, continually absorbing new knowledge and experiences to enhance their abilities and qualities.

• Adaptability: They are able to adapt to and cope with changes in life; rather than being overwhelmed by difficulties and setbacks, they seize opportunities and embrace challenges.

• Recognition and appreciation of others: They recognise and appreciate others, are skilled at collaborating and communicating with them, and build positive interpersonal relationships.

• A mindset of contentment: Being grateful and content, cherishing what one has, and maintaining inner peace and tranquillity.

  
  

• Acceptance of one’s own and others’ imperfections: Being able to accept one’s own and others’ imperfections, focusing on people’s strengths and virtues rather than dwelling on their flaws and shortcomings.

• The ability to motivate oneself and others: utilising one’s influence and charisma to inspire those around one to move forward together.

• Having goals and aspirations: possessing clear goals and aspirations, and being able to strive tirelessly for one’s dreams and objectives without giving up or becoming disheartened.

Now that we recognise the importance of positive thinking, we must begin to learn how to live our lives and deal with matters in a positive way.

Here are some ways to overcome negative thinking and cultivate a positive mindset:

• Recognise the impact of negative thinking: Understand that negative thinking can trap you in a vicious cycle, affecting your physical and mental health as well as your quality of life.

• Cultivate a sense of gratitude: Gratitude fosters a greater sense of happiness and fulfilment, helping to regulate your emotions and mindset.

• Learn to think positively: Develop the habit of positive thinking, focusing on solutions and ways forward rather than dwelling on the problems themselves.

• Enhance self-awareness: Understand your strengths and weaknesses, make the most of your strengths, and identify your place in the world and your goals.

• Maintain a Positive Mindset: Motivate yourself through positive emotions, and face challenges with confidence and drive.

• Embrace Change: Learn to adapt to and accept changes in life; rather than complaining or feeling discouraged, seize opportunities and embrace challenges.

• Maintain Physical and Mental Well-being: Good physical and mental health is crucial for maintaining a positive mindset, which can be achieved through appropriate exercise, diet and rest.

• Surround yourself with positive people: Spending time with positive and optimistic people can bring positive energy and inspiration, thereby helping you to cultivate a positive mindset more effectively.

• Master stress management techniques: Learn how to cope with stress and challenges; do not give up or avoid them easily, but remain calm and composed.

• Pursue personal growth: Continuously learn and improve your abilities and qualities, broaden your horizons and way of thinking, thereby better realising your self-worth.

Furthermore, people’s productivity varies significantly at the same time of day. Even after waking up in the morning, some people feel refreshed, with their minds racing and their thoughts sharp, making them highly efficient at completing any task; whilst others feel as though they haven’t fully woken up yet, their minds simply won’t engage, and they struggle to complete anything quickly, often putting things off until the afternoon or even the evening.

Once we recognise this, we can tailor our approach accordingly. By observing and analysing our daily habits and work performance, we can identify our own peak productivity periods. We should then endeavour to complete important tasks that require active thinking during these times, whilst reserving relatively routine, less mentally demanding tasks for periods when we are less productive. This approach is highly effective in boosting our efficiency.