I Am a Derivative of My Habits
For better or worse.
The Secondhand Inspiration Project begins with a motivational quote and ventures wherever the creative path meanders.
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit.” — Will Durant
This is one of my favorite quotes, but I always thought these words were Aristotle’s. I am not the only one — there are entire articles written about the misattribution of these two sentences.
But I am not writing about that. I want to rant about habits — constructive and harmful — and how my identity is a byproduct of both my progressive actions and the same old BS I do daily.
That is what I love about this quote — its edges are so sharp that it cuts deep both ways.
Maybe it is vain, but I usually imagine myself boldly filling the excellence role. I envision doing the necessary work to be an exceptional supervisor, prolific writer, loving parent, workout warrior, devoted spouse, kindhearted volunteer, and fearless leader.
The truth is I do many of those things. But if I constantly took the necessary steps to be perfect, I would not need to obsessively digest self-help books or motivational podcasts.
I stray somewhere along the path. I admit it.