Breaking A Habit

Breaking a habit is a belief that's baked into our culture, but it's a half-baked concept.

Grasshopper Notes are the writings from America's Best Known Hypnotherapist John Morgan. His podcasts contain his most responded to essays and blog posts from the past two decades. 

Find the written versions of these podcasts on John's podcasting site: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1628038

"The Grasshopper" is the part of you that whispers pearls of wisdom that  seem to pop into your mind from out of the blue. John's essays and blog posts are his interpretations of these "Nips of Nectar." Others have labeled his writings as timeless wisdom. 

Most of the John's writings revolve around self improvement and self help. They address topics like:

• Mindfulness
• Peace of mind
• Creativity
• How to stay in the present moment
• Spirituality
• Behavior improvement

And stories that transform you to a wider sense of awareness that presents more options. And isn't that what we all want, more options? 

John uploads these podcasts on a regular basis. So check back often to hear these podcasts heard around the world. Who wants to be the next person to change? 

Make sure to order a copy of John's new book: WISDOM OF THE GRASSHOPPER – 21 Days to Creativity. These mini-meditations take you inside where all your creative resources live. And you'll come out not only refreshed but recommitted to creating your future. 

It's only $16.95 and available at BLURB.COM at the link below. https://www.blurb.com/b/10239673-wisd...

Also, download John's FREE book INTER RUPTION: The Magic Key To Lasting Change. It's available at John's website  https://GrasshopperNotes.com

Transcript

Breaking a Habit

In the theatre, they say “break a leg” to wish a performer good luck.

But good luck breaking a habit.

The phrase “breaking a habit” is so baked into our culture that it almost feels like an upstream swim for me to question it.

But I like a good swim.

I once got an email asking about the best way to break a habit.

Here’s what I wrote back:

“Broken habits repair themselves.

Habits outgrown leave town for good.”

When we talk about breaking habits, we’re usually talking about willpower. And willpower—despite its reputation—is the weakest agent of change on the planet.

It’s a sprinter in a marathon world.

Years ago, President Obama admitted he still smoked occasionally. Politics aside, most folks would probably agree he’s a pretty bright guy with a lot of discipline.

Yet even his intelligence and willpower weren’t enough to break that habit.

And neither are yours.

I’ve presented stop-smoking seminars to hundreds of thousands of people. Many of them had made heroic willpower attempts to quit.

But here’s the thing: they didn’t use willpower to outgrow the goofy clothes they wore in high school.

See, when you outgrow something, the gravitational pull disappears.

And the habit just . . . floats away into the dustbin of history.

Now get ready for my broken record message again.

Noticing a habit while you’re in the middle of it is the routine that puts you at the doorstep of change.

Each time you notice, the grip of the pattern weakens.

And in that weakening, you’re given the chance to grow into a new way.

Outgrowing the old way and growing into the new is a process. Sometimes it looks like a sudden break—like we often see in hypnosis—but when you look closer, it’s almost always a progression.

A quiet shift from what was . . . to what now makes more sense.

Outgrown habits are like faded memories. They just don’t have the pull they once did.

Think of anything you’ve truly outgrown. When you look back, you can see the process clearly. More importantly, you know—at the deepest level—that it no longer makes sense.

It’s simply not important anymore.

So if a recurring routine is interfering with the quality of your life, it’s time to notice.

The more often you notice, the less time you’ll spend trying—and failing—to break a habit.

All the best,

John