Inertia of Habit

I came across an interesting reading last week which made reference to the “inertia of habit”. Upon brief reflection a few definitions of this concept came to light:

1. A spirit: A habit is not devoid of action. Hence, the inertia is not something that is readily observable – at least not in the short term.
2. A resistance: The more often a habit successfully resists change, the more likely inertia will set in. Failed change not only brings inertia but it also breeds cynicism.
3. An excuse: The more often a habit is used as a reason for not changing; the more difficult it is to engage in possibilities of change, producing blind spots of inertia
4. An institution: A well entrenched habit is one that is accommodating everything around it. To change it changes everything else. The inertia emerges from an inability to cope with too much uncertainty.
5. A value: Values and beliefs produce a lens through which the world is understood and through which habits are formed. To change a habit is oftentimes synonymous to changing a value – something that is oftentimes considered extremely difficult to change – causing inertia.

To summarize my thoughts: changing a habit – whether personal or corporate – is an opportunity to make a habit of changing – and thus eliminating inertia.

With Christmas around the corner it is important to remember those who have very little. If not in the habit of giving – here is an opportunity to change a habit AND a life. In Afghanistan an orphan is a child who has lost his/her father. The tradition of families caring for their family members is so strong here that adoption is virtually unheard of. Visit this website and help an orphan in Afghanistan fight the inertia of poverty: http://www.afghanistan-parsa.org/index.htm