The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari

Raman once told me that a bad habit once acquired could never be
erased."
"But all evening you have been inspiring me to change the way
I live my life. How can I possibly do this if I can never erase any of
my bad habits?"
"I said that bad habits can never be erased. I did not say that
negative habits could not be replaced," Julian noted with precision.
"Oh Julian, you always were the King of Semantics. But I
think I see your point."
"The only way to permanently install a new habit is to direct so
much energy toward it that the old one slips away like an
unwelcome house guest. The installation is generally complete in
about twenty-one days, the time it takes to create a new neural
pathway."
"Say I wanted to start practicing the Heart of the Rose
technique to erase the worry habit and live at a more peaceful
pace. Do I have to do it at the same time every day?"
"Good question. The first thing I will tell you is that you never
have to do anything. Everything I am sharing with you tonight I
am offering as a friend who is genuinely interested in your growth
and development. Every strategy, tool and technique has been
tested over time for effectiveness and measurable results. This I
assure you. And though my heart tells me that I should implore
you to try all of the methods of the sages, my conscience tells me
to simply follow my duty and share the wisdom with you, leaving
its implementation up to you. My point is this: never do anything
because you have to. The only reason to do something is because
you want to and because you know it is the right thing for you to do."
"Sounds reasonable, Julian. Don't worry, I haven't felt for even
a moment that you were forcing any of this information down my