How do you get rid of a bad habit in your behaviour system?

To delete, get rid of or remove a word, file, software or programme inside a computer, you need to press the “Delete” key on the keyboard.

Unfortunately, there is no “Delete” function in your brain. Based on psychological studies, to delete or get rid of a thought, emotion or an experience, you will need to “create” an event or action that can bring in new emotion and thought to “overcome” the existing emotion or thought that was first stored in your brain.

For example, you may have a habit of drinking coffee at your favourite café or shopping at shopping malls simply because it makes you feel good. You know that the coffee that you drink or clothes that you buy are definitely more expensive compared to having coffee at home or buying clothes at a flea market or factory outlet. To save money, you need to break these expensive habits.

Try having coffee at home or shopping at factory outlet and still feel good about it. Your brain will then “capture” the good feeling to replace the previous good feeling of having coffee at your favourite café and shopping at shopping malls.

Now, do you get a clear picture of how your brain works? Can you see why you need to change your behaviour? If you want improvements in your life, it can be difficult for you. But nothing ventured, nothing gained. So change will come at a price and with some sacrifice.

To cultivate good actions, emotions, habits and behaviour that will benefit you financially, you need to:

• Analyse your behaviour, emotions, thoughts or attitude towards an event. If it is good for you financially, take the action. If it is bad for you financially, don’t take the action.
• Understand your strengths and weaknesses that lead to an action. Assess the result of the action that will affect you financially.
• Equip yourself with more information and data on the specific issue or areas so that you are knowledgeable enough to decide on an action that will create a positive financial result.

What you are is the result of your actions. You decide on the action you need to take. Create the outcome that you desire and do not let your brain take charge of you.

Remember this:

1. Your brain will store your behaviour, knowledge and experiences related to money based on what you experience previously and what you focus on.
2. The only person who guarantees that your brain will give you good results on your financial is you!

Now, you have the general idea of how you and your brain can create impact on you and your money.

Extracted from Money. Work. Life by Carol Yip