My father-in-law regularly shares books with me that have inspired him. The latest was “Master your Traits, Master Yourself” by Bob Burg and while I haven’t had the time to get through it yet, there was a riddle written by an anonymous author in the introduction that I thought you would enjoy:

I am your constant companion.

I’m your greatest helper, or your greatest burden.

I will push you onward, or drag you down to failure.

I’m at your command.

Half of the tasks that you do,

You might just as well turn over to me and

I’ll do them quickly and correctly.

I’m easily managed.

You must merely be firm with me.

Show me exactly how you want something done

And after a few lessons, I’ll do it automatically.

I am the servant of all great people and,

Alas, of all failures as well.

Those who are great, I have made great.

And those who are failures, I have made failures.

I’m not a machine but I work with all the

Precision of a machine plus the intelligence of a person.

You may run me for profit or run me for ruin,

It makes no difference to me.

Just take me, train me, be firm with me

And I’ll lay the work at your feet.

But you be easy with me and I’ll destroy you.

Who am I?

If you guessed “habits,” you guessed correctly!

Habits apply torque to the flywheel of your life, thereby filling it with energy. Conversely, habits are the means by which the energy stored in the flywheel of your life is released in relation to some load or effort. The habits you form determine your effectiveness in living more than just about any other factor.

Habits eventually end up controlling your orientation in living, so you are wise to think carefully about the habits you choose to form.

“The second half of a man’s life is made up of nothing but the habits he has acquired during the first half.”  ~Feodor Dostoevski