Reference:[From Mizan al Hikmat -- Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 6409]
Description: Imam Ali (a.s.) said, ‘Your tongue will urge you to whatever you have accustomed it [to say], and your inner self will require you to do whatever you have made it fond of.’
الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): لِسانُكَ يَستَدعيكَ ما عَوَّدتَهَ، ونَفسُكَ تَقتَضيكَ ما ألِفتَهُ.
Reference:[From Mizan al Hikmat -- Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 7634]
Description: Imam Ali (a.s.) said, ‘Do not hasten to resort to anger lest it prevail over you by becoming a habit.’
Reference:[From Mizan al Hikmat -- Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 10288]
Description: Imam Ali (a.s.) said in his will to his son, al-Hasan (a.s.), ‘Verily the heart of a young person is like the untilled earth, which accepts whatever is placed therein. I, therefore, urge you to hasten to self-discipline before your heart hardens, and your mind becomes preoccupied.’
الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) ـ في وَصِيَّتِه لاِبنِه الحَسَنِ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) ـ: إنَّما قَلبُ الحَدَثِ كالأرضِ الخالِيَةِ ما اُلقِيَ فيها مِن شَيءٍ قَبِلَتهُ، فبادَرتُكَ بِالأدَبِ قَبلَ أن يَقسُوَ قَلبُكَ، ويَشتَغِلَ لُبُّكَ.
Reference:[From Mizan al Hikmat -- Nahjul Balaghah, Letter 31]
Description: Imam Ali (a.s.) said, ‘Habituate yourself to performing noble actions and to bear the burdensome consequences [of your actions], and your soul will be elevated as a result, your Hereafter will flourish, and your admirers will increase.
Reference:[From Mizan al Hikmat -- Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 6232]
Description: Imam Ali (a.s.), was once offered a sweetmeat called faludhaj, so he placed it in front of him, saying, ‘Verily you have a fragrant smell, are of a beautiful colour, and taste delicious, but I hate to habituate my soul [to anything] since it has not yet formed any habits.’
الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) ـ لَمّا اُتِيَ بِفالوذَجٍ فوُضِعَ قُدّامَهُ ـ: إنَّكَ طَيِّبُ الرّيحِ حَسَنُ اللَّونِ طَيِّبُ الطَّعمِ، ولكن أكرَهُ أن اُعَوِّدَ نَفسي ما لَم تَعتَدْ .
Reference:[From Mizan al Hikmat -- Kanz al-’Ummal, no. 36549]
Description: Imam Ali (a.s.) said, ‘Virtue is overcoming one’s habit.’