Who am I?
Sean Covey
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens
Who am I? How many of us have struggled with this question, the question for identity? I am not going to attempt to give an answer to
this struggle. Rather, I will provide you with another way of looking at this question. This will be done through a riddle I first came
across in Sean Covey's book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens, the riddle: Who am I?
Many times I've asked this question of myself and this riddle gave me a new view to this. If half of what you do is defined by your
habits, then your habits will give you the answer to half of the question. 50% of who you are, of who you were, of whom you will be are simply
determined by examining your habits.
But that is only half the answer. To me, the other half is determined by the choices we make. Even as far as our habits are concerned, we
can choose what we want to do about it. If you choose to do nothing, or change nothing, your habits will continue to dictate your destiny. Is
that what you want?
This poem, or rather riddle, is not the answer. It is just a riddle - a riddle that might help you figure out who you are. Are you the sum
of your habits? Remember that you are in control. You can CHOOSE to change your habits. For better or worse. The choice is yours.
The Riddle: Who am I?
I am your constant companion. I am
your greatest helper or heaviest burden.
I will push you onward or drag you down
to failure. I am completely at your command.
Half the things I do you might as well
turn over to me and I will be able to do
them quickly and correctly.
I am easily managed - you must merely
be firm with me. Show me exactly how you
want something done and after a few
lessons I will do it automatically. I am the
servant of all great individuals and, alas, of
all failures as well. Those who are great, I
have made great. Those who are failures,
I have made failures.
I am not a machine, though I work
with all the precision of a machine plus
the intelligence of a human. You may run
me for profit or run me for ruin - it
makes no difference to me.
Take me, train me, be firm with me,
and I will place the world at your feet. Be
easy with me and I will destroy you.
Who am I?
I am Habit.
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