Whatever you would make habitual, practice it; and if you would not make a thing habitual, do not practice it, but accustom yourself to something else.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- To make a habit, repeat it; to avoid a habit, stop repeating it and replace it with something else.
- In plain terms
- Practice what you want to become a habit, avoid what you don’t.
- What can you take from it?
- Use repetition to shape behavior.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What makes a habit stick?
- How can you replace an unwanted habit?
Another view
Habits also depend on environment, not just practice.
More from Epictetus
What is the first business of one who practices philosophy? To get rid of self-conceit. For it is impossible for anyone to begin to learn that which he thinks …
Permalink to quote #11 Be not swept off your feet by the vividness of the impression, but say, 'Impression, wait for me a little. Let me see what you are and what you represent. Let …
Permalink to quote #13 Shall I show you the sinews of a philosopher? 'What sinews are those?' - A will undisappointed; evils avoided; powers daily exercised, careful resolutions; une…
Permalink to quote #10
Related quotes
One will rarely err if extreme actions be ascribed to vanity, ordinary actions to habit, and mean actions to fear.
Friedrich NietzscheFriedrich Nietzsche quote #39 Life is full of decisions and judgments and guesses, and it gets to the point where you're so accustomed to making them you keep right on making them even when…
Lee ChildLee Child quote #17 In the Catholic Church, especially, they go into chancery, make a clean confession, give up all, and think to start again. Thus men will lie on their backs, ta…
Henry David ThoreauHenry David Thoreau quote #138