“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit” Aristotle, Ancient Greek philosopher, Teacher, Doctor 384 BC-322 BC
I was having lunch with a friend recently and we were discussing a very interesting topic, actually it’s more like he was schooling me on a concept that I found really interesting. He had called me earlier that day and he was eating digestive biscuits, he proceeded to tell me that they were his reward to himself. So of course nosy me, I had to know what he was rewarding himself for, I wanted to take the piss out of him, but actually the answer he gave me, really made me think and it made me curious to know more.
Our subsequent lunch time discussion was about this reward system that he used, he explained that this was not his invention but one that was legitimate and supported by a lot of studies. He explained that when we learn something new like driving a car, it initially requires that we invest a lot of our mind into making it happen successfully, we are initially painfully aware of the gears, the indicators, all the mirrors and we are probably unable to even carry on a conversation whilst mastering this car driving thing.
After a while and with practice, it becomes commonplace, a habit. The constant practice has made it so that we can drive that car on automatic pilot, without investing too much of our immediate thinking. We are then able to talk, eat, and listen to music all whilst driving the car. We have “grooved” the habit of driving the car into our “Basal Ganglia”; the part of our brains that is responsible for a variety of functions like voluntary motor control, procedural learning relating to routine behaviors, what we call habits. Grooving, my friend explained, is like how a tract can have a constant flow of water until it is shaped or “grooved into a canal. In the same way habits are grooved into our “Basal Ganglia”. I am feeling so scientific right about now, very pleased with myself and excited about this new thing that I am learning!
Anyway after our very exciting discussion, okay I thought it was exciting! I started thinking about how it is that I can adjust or change bad habits or introduce new habits into my life, and how my friend had mentioned that for a habit to be well “grooved” it needs a reward. Hmmmm! okay so basically the way I understood this was, if I want to say, make exercise a part of my lifestyle, I begin the exercise and give myself a reward each time I actually get out there and do it. I like massages and I can decide that this will be my reward for successfully exercising. After a week of continuous exercising I reward my continuous efforts with a massage. Something that makes me feel good, as a reward for maintaining the exercise. Apparently, because there is a reward attached to my exercising, grooving it becomes easy and it becomes a part of my lifestyle; Success!
So right now am wracking my brain trying to see what bad habits I have, I have many trust me! I wonder how I can modify them with just the right reward to ensure success. I am also thinking about what new behaviors I would like to introduce and “groove” into my Basal Ganglia for my personal advancement and growth. This will take a while, but I have begun on this new path towards personal development using rewards. Sounds so yummy, I am excited! I am buying into and joining “the groove theory” into the Basal Ganglia! Does that not sound like a song or at least a political movement? I am going to pick a bad habit or find a new one and I am going to try this groove theory. I will let you know how I fare. I challenge you to try to chart your own path to personal development!