A Universal System of Habits
“A virtue is an habitual and firm disposition to do the good” (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1803).
What would you say to a universal system of habits for a successful life that is accessible to all and that anyone can develop through practice?
No; this is not a multi-step plan nor will you be mastering these habits through sheer willpower.
The good news is that you already have everything you need to develop these habits. You only need to practice small daily changes to cultivate these habits allowing you to “act much more quickly and easily, even under great emotional strain.”
So, what is this universal system of habits?
Dr. Andrew Abela, dean of the Busch School of Business at Catholic University of America, likens these habits to superpowers, noting that both ancient and modern traditions agree they are the “most important habits” in your life. In his book Superhabits: The Universal System for a Successful Life, Dr. Abela introduces St. Thomas Aquinas’ system of virtues (superhabits) while drawing on contemporary research on positive psychology and using real-life examples of how to cultivate superhabits.
Habits of Virtue
Traditionally, these superhabits are defined as virtues.
St. Thomas Aquinas was a 13th-century philosopher-monk who created a system for the virtues and presented them systematically to demonstrate “completeness, and illustrate how the superhabits work together.” Aquinas looked at human life as a whole and then divided it into parts and saw that there was a superhabit for each challenge in life. Furthermore, he recognized that the four cardinal virtues of prudence (practical wisdom), justice, fortitude (courage), and temperance (self-discipline) associate with other superhabits to help us cultivate these larger and impactful virtues. By focusing on one associated superhabit first, you can cultivate a cardinal virtue.
Dr. Abela specifically highlights 11 superhabits. He also provides a diagram of Aquinas’ “System of Virtues” to help you see how all these superhabits work together within your life:
Restraint: Dealing with desires; specifically, the desires to do unworthy things
Humility: Managing our desires to do great things within the constraints of reality
Diligence: Desire to know things
Gentlefirmness (also known as meekness): Directing your anger toward making things right
Forgiveness: Moderating your responses toward what caused your anger
Orderliness: Getting work done by figuring out priorities and then doing the work
Eutrapelia: Desire to have fun; to play well
Self-Discipline: Managing desires; coaxing your desires into more productive directions
Courage: Dealing with fear; accepting the feeling, reframing it as a challenge, and continuing onward
Practical Wisdom: Making and implementing decisions either deliberately, strategically, or instantaneously
Justice: Giving what is owed to a person
Decide How You Want to Live Your Life
This is a book on virtue that does not directly mention Catholic theology and doctrine. Without preaching, it outlines many aspects of the wisdom of the Catholic Church. Dr. Abela lays out the virtues—superhabits—in a clear and concise manner that leads to reflection on which superhabit you want to build on first.
The question being asked is: How do you want to live your life? Ultimately, the “content of our character is our virtues-superhabits.” We can decide the content of our character and how we will live our life.
Living a virtuous life means making small, everyday decisions consistently. It sets us apart from others. We may never be publicly recognized for showcasing the superhabits-virtues; but we all know of someone who lives out restraint, humility, forgiveness, gentlefirmness, self-discipline, etc. in a way that sets them apart. We are attracted to that person and to how they live their life.
Think of the saints: They developed these superhabits—these virtues—that changed the world. Think of the ordinary person exercising these superhabits daily changing the world little by little. And think of how you and I can develop these superhabits to live, yes, a healthier, happier, and more successful life, but more importantly to point others to the Lord.
The world is desperate for virtuous people. Which superhabit will you begin practicing today?
Alexandra (Alex) Harrel resides in Irving, Texas. She is a new student affairs professional within the world of higher education. In her spare time, she loves reading, listening to podcasts, and spending time outdoors. Her favorite prayer is Hail, Holy Queen. You can follow her on Instagram at @2012alexandra.