Are most days made up of routines that are familiar and contribute to long term success. Or are they a series of habits that compound over time into success. Is there a difference between a routine and a habit?
It seems to me a routine is a schedule that is consistent daily and it is something you can count on. Like the mail gets delivered every day around 11:30 am except on Sunday. Routines keep us comfortable. They keep us in our comfort zone.
Then does it follow that a habit is a deliberate action that can become routine? Like brushing your teeth when you wake up in the morning. It is a learned habit that becomes a routine. So the question is, if you want to break a bad habit or create a new good habit how long does it take to make it a new routine?
I guess it would depend on how far outside the comfort zone the change in habit is. Some habits (and routines) are very hard to break. And some times it seems nearly impossible to create the new good habit.
My running routine did not start out as a routine. It was a deliberate action that had to be planned in advance in order to create the new habit. It definitely took a long time before the new habit became a routine.
Just some random thoughts on a run. Run happy!