habit vs. practice

Liz Welsh

I’ve been pondering the difference between practice and habit since I sent the following Daylight Savings tweet:

I think of habit as a cousin of routine. A habit is something you can do automatically, almost without thinking. It’s easy to stay consistent with a habit because doing a habit is its own reward.

Practice, on the other hand, takes effort. It needs to be planned. Practice does pay off, but it takes time to notice a difference.

I’ve found, though, that when I know something is a practice, when I’m aware of how much harder I have to try just to make it happen, I do find satisfaction in getting it done at all. I’m less hard on myself when a practice doesn’t flow as naturally as a habit.

I avoid telling myself that “practice makes perfect.” I remind myself that perfection is not achievable. I still let myself dream that someday a practice will grow into a habit.