Habits can be a double-edged sword. That routine grooved behavior is a shortcut to apply a known solution over and over. But, things change and a known solution to one problem may not fit another problem. Because it worked before and then again, it is easy to misapply a routine grooved behavior to a new problem that doesn’t fit.

If we are looking for unconventional results, applying a known solution, even when it works, may only yield conventional results, same as last time. Always ask what changed.

Some habits avoid the trap. The habit of showing up early rarely has a downside. Showing up early allows for a time of calm before the beginning, to think, mentally rehearse and settle the nerves. Showing up early is a discipline, a habit that is a way of being.

When you find yourself doing something over and over, examine your purpose and your intended outcome to determine if it’s a habit that helps or a habit that is just expedient. Or it could be a habit that always contributes, like being early.