Habit Habitat
Few moments in life achieve such comfort as habit. Via habits we may rise or acquiesce, create or rescind, progress or recede. Habits define our careers, our lives and our habitats, where our lives take place.
A question well worth asking is where your habits lie? What are you favorite habits? What were your favourite habits? What habits should you resurrect and what new habits should you pursue? A recent resurrected habit of mine is a cup of tea in the morning. Up and out of bed, boil the kettle, warm the cup, fill the cup and dip the teabag. Half an inch of milk and I'm in front of the laptop and writing and sipping and writing. It may not be extravagent, it may not be inspiring and it certainly isn't optimal... but I like it.
Both habit and habitat come from the latin, "habitare", or to have; quite appropriate I feel, for to truly have something, surely that something should endure. Endurance is a defining quality, a habit is enduring and to have habits is to endure.
If you were to ask why I chose to do a PhD, I could say it was to develop habits. It's a time to trial habits-new, to reaffirm habits-old and to define a comfortable habitat that evolves and endures. Define your habits, refine your habits and make those that bring joy those that endure.
References:
7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Steven Covey (book).
Try Something New for Thirty Days, Matt Cutts (Ted Talk)