I’ve heard habits and disciplines used interchangeably, but pondered their distinctions. After some reflection this morning, I’ve concluded the following:
Habits happen in spite of us. Disciplines develop because of us.
We all have those habits that we are not sure when we started them or why we do them. And we continue them without conscientious effort. They just happen.
Disciplines, on the other hand, require us to bring them forward, and keep them going. That is, disciplines take the combination of effort and commitment to exist.
Here some helpful questions I came up with, while thinking through the significance of knowing this concept.
- What are the habits I must stop, because they fail to serve me?
- What are the disciplines I want/need to develop?
- Why do I want these changes?
