Essay on “Habits” Complete Essay for Class 10, Class 12 and Graduation and other classes.

Habits

Essay No. 01

Man is a bundle of habits. Anything done often and repeatedly is called a habit. It is an acquired pattern of action which becomes easy and automatic because of repetition. Thus, habits, once formed, are difficult to be removed. That is why the saying, ‘Old habits die hard’. The root of habit is practice and regularity. The more we repeat a habit, the more easy and permanent it becomes. We are bound to repeat a habit, because if we do not we feel uncomfortable and uneasy. This is called the force of habit.

Habits can be good as well as bad. But it is very easy to acquire bad habits. Bad habits once acquired become the bonds and chains forever. If one becomes a victim of bad habits, they render his escape impossible. Habits become part of a man’s nature. They cannot be changed, specially at advanced stage. As a cat cannot change its stripes, so you cannot change or get rid of evil habits. Like ones name they stick fast till the grave. Habits make or spoil our destiny. They actually form the foundation of our fortunes. In the words of an author: “Sow an ‘act, and you reap a habit. Sow a habit, and you reap a character. Sow a character, and you reap a destiny.” Thus, habits form the cornerstone of one’s personality and destiny. We are the maker of our destiny because we acquire good or bad habits and have the results accordingly. It is the use which causes origin and growth of a habit. Without use and frequency there would be no habit at all. A thing done occasionally, say once in a blue moon, cannot be called a habit. 1 n the words of Dryden “Ill habits gather by unseen degrees, as brooks make rivers, rivers run to seas.” The same fact is underlined by the poet Hannah More in the following words: “Small(evil) habits, well pursued betimes, May reach the dignity of crimes.” The same principle applies to the formation of good habits. But healthy and good habits can be formed only with a great labour and long continuous practice. You cannot acquire a good habit simply by determination, chance or by fits and starts. You have to perspire and persevere to acquire a good habit. It is far more easy to acquire good habits early in life when there is lot of flexibility both in body and nature. Once you have attained a good habit, it will always stand you in good stead. By possessing them you become quite capable to bear the ups and downs of life like a real, man. Good habits, like those of hard working, sincerity, honesty, courtesy, punctuality, simplicity, frugality, accuracy, tenacity of purpose, etc., constitute a sure security against ills of fortune and circumstances. They form a firm ladder to success and happiness. They are to be acquired, cultivated and possessed by hard labour, practice and constant use. And early youth is the best period to have them because then they make not so much demand on us. In brief, habits make the man. What actually you are, depends on your habits. You are good, excellent, bad or worse in proportion to your good and evil habits and their intensity.

There are many forces which play an important role in forming habits. Early education, impressions, company, association, etc., are some of the major factors in habit-formation. Gradually they get ingrained in our nature. Idleness, smoking, drinking, telling lies, flattery, gambling, cheating, stealing, spitting here and there are some of the major evil habits. Habits are also acquired because of imitation. Parents, elders, friends, etc., help them in their formation, and development. For example, a boy, who sees his father smoking, is likely to acquire the evil habit of smoking. The boy may think that in smoking there should be some pleasure and excitement that is why his father is a smoker. And then he may try it stealthily as smoking material is easily available to him. Gradually he may become a habitual smoker. Curiosity, routine and boredom also help in acquiring bad habits. One may start drinking or taking a drug just out of curiosity, or to have a little thrill and excitement at first, but rater may become a hardened drinker and drug-addict. Bad company generally leads innocent and good people into evil habits. A drinker may offer drinks fret of cost first, to his friend, and thereby help him form a bad habit of drinking. One bad habit leads to another bad habit. It is a vicious circle from which, there is hardly any rescue and escape. Therefore, we should be very cautious in choosing company and friends. One requires a lot of money to satisfy bad habits which the young men and women are not likely to have, they being students in schools and colleges. Therefore, they may take to stealing or such other undesired activities.

Even good things become evil when done too often. For example, work is good. Hard and continuous work is necessary for success in life. But excess of work, beyond ones capacity, is harmful. It would soon start telling upon ones health both mental and physical. That is why it is said, “Excess of everything is bad”. We should maintain a proper balance even in doing good things. All excess is dangerous and sinful whether it is work or rest, eating or enjoying life. We should ever be temperate in all things. One should never overwork or give way to free self – indulgence. We must attempt things according to our own strength, measure and capacity. We must always be on our guard against every type of excess, even that of good things.

Essay No. 02

Habits

Outline: All have habits-anything done repeatedly becomes, a habit – habits may be good or bad – necessary to cultivate good habits and avoid bad ones – good habits help us to succeed in life.

All of us have habits. Anything that is done repeatedly becomes a habit. Once we get into a habit we do a thing without thinking about it. Habits may be good or bad. Rising early, working hard, being punctual are good habits. Gambling, swearing, lying, using bad language, drinking, stealing- and quarrelling are bad habits.

It is necessary to cultivate good habits and avoid bad ones. There is a saying that habits are at first cobwebs but after- wards cables. This shows that habits might be weak at first, but, once they become strong, they are difficult to break. Hence we should try to acquire only good habits.

Everyone respects a man who has good habits. Good habits help one to succeed, in life. A person with bad habits is despised and mocked at.

Childhood is the right time to instill good habits in children. If a child grows up with bad habits no one can make him unlearn them when he grows up. Hence parents should be careful to see that children have only good habits.