It’s easier to dam a stream 

than to hold back a river.

Think of a huge river: say, the Amazon, Yangtze, or Mississippi. 

Now, let’s say that we are told that, in order to reduce flooding, we have to dam that river. And so, logically, we head upstream, looking for places where the river is narrower and more manageable.

Similarly, if we are to gain some control over our habitual behavior—from that which wastes our time or impacts our health to that which inconveniences others or, even worse, distresses them—we would look for the minor habits that contribute to such overall bad behavior. 

The habits that are not yet well-established would be the easiest to control. These would be the easiest to “dam up” before they become unchangeable and firmly anchored.

In time, as we become more skilled at stopping these fledgling habits, the more equipped we will be to tackle those that are more entrenched.

“Too old to learn; just be good.”

If we learn, 

but don’t practice, 

we’ll end up forgetting.

Early early on, we learned an invaluable lesson: if we don’t put our keys in a designated place, we’re doomed to be perpetually searching for them. This turns frantic when our appointment was five minutes ago.

And so, whether at home, work, or running errands, keys now have their place. On the hook by the door, in our bag, our pocket. Essentially, we have learned that we don’t enjoy looking for our keys. To know where on earth (literally) they will be, we found a logical place for them. We then made it a habit to place them in “their” place. 

If we had not acted on the fact that we dislike losing our keys—had not put what we learned into practice—those missing keys would still be a problem.

Anything we learn related to good behavior needs to be put into practice and repeated until it becomes a habit. Whether it be finding our keys, cultivating to be a better person, or chanting the buddha-name.