Who are you? Now there’s a big question to start the day…
Take a moment to ask yourself who you are, how do you spend your time and what makes you, you.
We’ve all got an ideal of ourselves. A best version. What does that person look like? Do they exercise? Read? Volunteer?
The good news is that the only difference between who you are right now and the best version of yourself that you’d like to be are your habits.
We are the sum of our daily habits, so it stands to reason that we can become whoever we want to be if we can just develop the habits that will empower our success. Don’t believe me? Here’s a practical example… How much more knowledgeable would you be if you read 27 books on the subject every year?
Well, here’s the habit to get you there – read for 20 minutes every day. Do that, without fail, and you’ll read around 27 average-size books every year. And that’s just one empowering habit.
Given some time, we can all identify the habits that will make us better. The trick lies in understanding how habits work, so let me tell you a few things about habits:
1. It takes between 21 and 66 days of consistent process to form a habit
2. 45% of our daily behaviours are automatic
3. You are more likely to build a habit if you focus on one at a time
4. It is easier to create a new habit than overcome an existing one
5. Habits are a three-part process; reminder, routine and reward. You need to master all three.
Habits are simple, but not easy.  The key lies in starting with small steps every day. No matter how big the goal or dream, you can develop small habits that will get you there.
Ready for your challenge?
Think of one habit that would take you closer to the best version of yourself and break it down. Consciously identify how you’re going to remind yourself to act, what the routine will be, and what reward you’ll get when you complete it – and then do it. Consistently. For a month. See what happens!
I want to leave you with this quote by F. M. Alexander:
“People do not decide their futures, they decide their habits and their habits decide their futures.”

* S Zuhair Naqvi is the Managing Director of DicoTech Qatar WLL, and an EMBA alumnus of HEC Paris, Class of 2016.