[fristechill]

I think a major problem with the self-improvement books I've read is their emphasis on habits.

Depending on where you are, a positive habit may be useful for getting you out of a hole but ultimately consciousness is not about acting or reacting stereotypically. It's about having the option to do things differently.

Consciousness, or self-awareness, is the real key to improvement, and it's actually an anti-habit.

e.g. rather than relying on the force of habit for daily exercise, one eventually comes to realise and to experience repeatedly that being fit is not only better than being unfit but it feels better too. No self-coercion is then subsequently required to maintain fitness

[Mali-]

Experiencing something repeatedly and feeling the need to keep doing it sounds an awful lot like a habit. I think the idea that you've developed some absolute control through consciousness is the final stage of a habit. You go from forcing yourself to go to running practise weekly, to internalising that you are a runner and nothing could stop you from going.

[fristechill]

By all means call it a habit if you wish but do distinguish it from a bad habit which I would define as something which makes you feel good without actually being good for you.