Make good habits and they will make you.
—Parks Cousins
You leave old habits behind by starting out with the thought, ‘I release the need for this in my life’.
—Wayne Dyer (1940–2015) American Self-Help Author
The best way to break a bad habit is to drop it.
—Leo Aikman (1908–78) American Columnist
Habits change into character.
—Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso) (c.43 BCE–c.18 CE) Roman Poet
It is easier to prevent bad habits than to break them.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
You must acquire the habits and skills of managing a small amount of money before you can have a large amount.
—T. Harv Eker (b.1954) American Motivational Speaker, Lecturer, Author
A single bad habit will mar an otherwise faultless character, as an ink-drop soileth the pure white page.
—Hosea Ballou (1771–1852) American Theologian
A deep meaning often lies in old customs.
—Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805) German Poet, Dramatist
Thoughts lead on to purpose, purpose leads onto actions, actions form habits, habits decide character, and character fixes our destiny.
—Tryon Edwards American Theologian
Achieve success in any area of life by identifying the optimum strategies and repeating them until they become habits.
—Charles J. Givens (1941–98) American Self-Help Writer
Great is the power of habit. It teaches us to bear fatigue and to despise wounds and pain.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
In any family, measles are less contagious than bad habits.
—Mignon McLaughlin (1913–83) American Journalist, Author
The despotism of custom is on the wane. We are not content to know that things are; we ask whether they ought to be.
—John Stuart Mill (1806–73) English Philosopher, Economist
A habit cannot be tossed out the window; it must be coaxed down the stairs a step at a time.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Each year one vicious habit rooted out, in time might make the worst man good throughout.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
Custom, then, is the great guide to human life.
—David Hume (1711–76) Scottish Philosopher, Historian
How use doth breed a habit in a man! this shadowy desert, unfrequented woods, I better brook than flourishing peopled towns.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
True realism consists in revealing the surprising things which habit keeps covered and prevents us from seeing.
—Jean Cocteau (1889–1963) French Poet, Playwright, Film Director
In essence, if we want to direct our lives, we must take control of our consistent actions. It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently.
—Tony Robbins (b.1960) American Self-Help Author, Entrepreneur
There is no pleasure in life equal to that of the conquest of a vicious habit.
—Unknown
Your net worth to the world is usually determined by what remains after your bad habits are subtracted from your good ones.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
Habit is habit, and not to be flung out of the window by any man, but coaxed downstairs one step at a time.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Good habits, which bring our lower passions and appetites under automatic control, leave our natures free to explore the larger experiences of life. Too many of us divide and dissipate our energies in debating actions which should be taken for granted.
—Ralph Washington Sockman (1889–1970) American United Methodist Pastor
The best way to stop a bad habit is never to begin it.
—James Cash Penney (1875–1971) American Entrepreneur
Habit with its iron sinews, clasps us and leads us day by day.
—Alphonse de Lamartine (1790–1869) French Poet, Politician, Historian
It is well to be up before daybreak, for such habits contribute to health, wealth, and wisdom.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
To be able under all circumstances to practice five things constitutes perfect virtue; these five things are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness and kindness.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
Habit is second nature, or rather, ten times nature.
—William James (1842–1910) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Physician
To cease smoking is the easiest thing I ever did. I ought to know because I’ve done it a thousand times.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Habits are formed by the repetition of particular acts. They are strengthened by an increase in the number of repeated acts. Habits are also weakened or broken, and contrary habits are formed by the repetition of contrary acts.
—Mortimer J. Adler (1902–2001) American Philosopher, Educator