“Object permanence is understanding that things still exist even though they can’t be seen. Young children don’t have this fully formed cognitive capacity until they are about eight months old. . . . Children eventually develop object permanence, but we never outgrow the tendency to forget that which isn’t front and center.”- Mark Batterson
Mark Batterson prefaces Day 24 (“Tip the Cap”) of Do It for a Day with Habit 6 – Wind the Clock. First, Pastor Batterson notes, habit formation happens in real time. However, it’s heavily influenced by the past as well as the future. Therefore, Mark adds, winding the clock is;
- remembering the past and remembering the future
- managing the minutes and the moments
Above all, Pastor Batterson counsels, you must count the days if you want every day to count. Furthermore, Mark advises, control your calendar so that your calendar doesn’t control you. In addition, in his first sermon at National Community Church, Pastor Batterson cited a sociological study of fifty people over the age of ninety-five. In that study, researchers asked the subjects what they’d do differently if they had to live their life all over again. The subjects reached a consensus in three answers. They’d
- risk more
- reflect more
- do more things that would live on after they died
In 1931, amid the depths of the Great Depression, Conrad Hilton stared foreclosure in the face. To make ends meet, he even borrowed money from the bellhops. But then Hilton came across a photo of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City. After clipping the photo, Hilton placed it under the glass top of his desk. Since the photo stared him in the face, he never lost sight of his God-sized goal. Also, he tipped his cap every time he walked or drove by. And, in October 1949, Hilton crowned his collection of hotels with the Queen. A great example of object permanence!
Finally, Pastor Batterson exhorts:
“You need to posterize your priorities, posterize your goals, and posterize your values. . . . Somehow you’ve got to keep those things front and center. Tip the cap!”
Today’s question: How do you make use of this basic key to habit formation? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Accumulate experiences, not possessions”