The Hindu Business Line : Break 100 habits

Why am I so reluctant to plan for my future? Why does my behaviour change depending on the behaviour of others? Why do I secretly hope other people will fail? Why do I feel that if I get anything of value, it will be taken away from me?

Answers to these and 96 other `most common, annoying, puzzling, self-defeating' questions are in Instant Analysis, by David J. Lieberman, from Magna (www.magnamags.com). The book begins with an acknowledgement by the author of the profound influence that J. Krishnamurti's perspective has had on him, be it about awareness, habits, or ego.

"This book is for those who want to put life back into their lives," urges the intro. "Most people are almost happy. They're so close to being the kinds of people they want to be, living the kinds of lives they want to live, yet they are stuck in a mental rut." Why so? Because of a hundred behaviours, which structure automatic thinking so as to `keep you from reaching your highest potential.'

Break free from `the network of conditioned responses' and `the cocoon of fears and beliefs,' exhorts the author. "When your thinking is not mechanical, your actions are fresh. Awareness breathes life into your actions — habits lose their hold." An example of a rut is absent-mindedness, dealt with in chapter 7. An inability to recall may be indicative of a cluttered mind, suggests Lieberman. "If you're preoccupied with something specific or if your mind is just filled with random thoughts and anxieties, then your mind is in actuality absent."

To help out, he offers two tips. One, `Send your brain the message that you'll easily remember what you need to,' and back it up by taking action when it's needed. And two, `Make relaxation an art.' You need to clean up a cluttered, chaotic mind every so often. "Release negative expectations and let peace and composure take their place." Another troublesome habit that plagues traders and investors is distraction. Quality of life is based essentially on the level of our attention, says the author. The perennially distracted tend to perceive all situations as larger than life. "Every passing thought takes centre stage, consuming your attention... Everything in your world is big, bright, colourful, and close — including your problems. While others are able to perceive stimuli at varying distances, everything with you is in front and `in your face'."

So, what is the solution to distraction? "Carry one task through to completion," counsels Lieberman. "To avoid the overload that leads to distraction, simplify the process as much as possible. Break the task into its components." Another antidote is to find something you can be passionate about so that you can become totally absorbed in it. Remember, "You can't force your mind to be still. That's like yelling at someone to relax."

To those who wonder, `Why am I so competitive?' chapter 32 offers an answer. "Having a healthy spirit of competition is not a bad thing at all. Wanting to do your best, though, is very different from needing to win," clarifies Lieberman. "Get involved in activities that call for teamwork. Joining with others toward a common goal is a wonderfully tonic experience," he advises. "Step outside the realm of expertise," reads another counsel. Means? "Find an endeavour you know nothing, or next to nothing, about. Make up your mind to pursue it with passion, regardless of how well you perform." That way, you can make learning, not perfection, your objective, so as to be in `a constant learning curve'.

Useful analysis.

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