We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.
—Aristotle

Have you noticed this yet? That the more you do something, the more you are it? Although we are certainly more than what we do, we do indeed become what we practice.

To be sure, we are more than the mere sum of our actions. There's something incredibly intangible about being human. That we large, animate pieces of meat can not only conjure ideas but transmit them to each other.

But let's not for a second delude ourselves into thinking our actions don't matter, that discipline and devotion aren't essential to the formation of character and value systems. They are.

What it takes to leave a legacy

The more you do, the more you become. And the more you dream, the more you build castles in the sky.

So what do you want to be known for?

If you want to do meaningful work in this life — to be someone who makes an impact, who leaves a legacy and is remembered for greatness — then you'd better start acting like it. Now.

I mean it.

We regret what we fail to practice

There's nothing noble about an unlived life you thought of living. There's nothing romantic about audacious, unrealized dreams. Nothing honorable about sacrifices made begrudgingly for a life you end up resenting.

If you want to be something, why not begin by doing it? If you long to be a writer, then write. If an actor, then act. And if a runner, run.

This is what determines all great endeavors — not just another interesting idea to talk about a coffee shop, but the decision to act, to move. One small step after another.

That's what a habit is all about.

What are you practicing? And what does that say about what you're becoming? Share in the comments.