Maximus

Aristotle said, "The happy life for a man is a life of consciously following a rule".

But rules are nothing without habits. Here's why.

Part of your mind is made to jump to conclusions very quickly so you can take fast action in the face of danger.

Sober second thought shows that many of these hasty conclusions are simple-minded.

Knowing this, we should plan to respond to similar situations in the future in ways that reflect our more detailed thinking.

But how can you get your reactive mind to follow intelligent rules?

By making a certain type of situation a cue for behaviour that you have deliberately made into a habit. Your brain is still reacting simplistically but is following an smarter course of action.

Why is this so important?

Because only a "mechanical" habit can give you the power to act against the strong emotions that are triggered by the simplistic ideas of your spontaneous mind.

And, you are not only fighting these ideas and emotions but also the habits you have developed by following these over a long period of time.