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Today’s Agenda
Habit and Identity
Good Morning!
Happy Tuesday, everyone.
Today we’re going to discuss habit and identity with the help of William James. Burning that off, we’re going to examine our own habits. Wrapping up with our Book Nook, we’re going to look at James’ The Principles of Psychology.
Have a seat, Thought Breakfast is served!
Today’s Breakfast
We Are What We Do
Yesterday (Montaigne) asked us to observe the self. James shifts the object of thought. Identity isn’t only something we merely notice, but is also something that we repeatedly do. The self is less like a statue and more like footsteps in the sand.
People imagine identity as being the result of their big decisions or defining moments. William James argues that it’s actually the small, repeated actions that shape who we are. Our morning routines, reactions to stress, and conversations with others are all things that are constantly shaping our identities. That being said, it is our habits that form the “architecture” of the self.
James described habit as the “enormous flywheel of society.”
Habits serve to conserve our energy. They make actions easier and stabilize our personalities in a way. However, they also make change difficult, since our very identities are the accumulation of tiny patterns over time.
Now, your habits are not your final destiny, but they are powerful. Changing identity often means adjusting one small action, and repeating that adjustment consistently. This is where the examined self (yesterday, Montaigne) becomes the practiced self (James).
The main point here is that you don’t need dramatic reinvention to become someone new. The self evolves constantly, through ordinary repetitions. That means that the ideal self can be practiced before it is actualized.
Burn Those Thought Calories
The Habit Lens
Think about one small action you repeat almost automatically:
Checking your phone?
How you start conversations?
How you respond to stress?
Ask yourself:
What version of me does this habit reinforce?
Would I still want this habit if it defined me long-term?
What tiny adjustment could shift its direction?
Book Nook
“Habit is thus the enormous flywheel of society, its most precious conservative agent. It alone is what keeps us all within the bounds of ordinance, and saves the children of fortune from the envious uprisings of the poor. It alone prevents the hardest and most repulsive walks of life from being deserted by those brought up to tread therein.”
— William James, The Principles of Psychology
James reminds us that habit is quiet but powerful. The self isn’t only shaped by milestones, accomplishments, or big decisions; it’s formed by what we repeat without thinking. Habit gives life stability, but it can also keep us stuck in patterns that we never chose.
Instead of asking “Who am I?” we should be asking: What am I practicing every day?
Munch on that for today. Try and take notice of what in your daily routine really says about who you are. Have a great day, and come back tomorrow for another steaming hot plate of Thought Breakfast!
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That’s it for today.
Remember to stay mindful, smell the flowers, and take it easy.
Chef Ricky - Thought Breakfast
