Paths of mind
Walking down the same route each day through a forest creates a “well-trodden” path. By taking that path and following it, you know that you will reach the destination.
You don’t have to find the direction each time. You are assured of the destination.
Each time you take the path, it gets clearer — on the ground and in your mind.
Similarly, ants mostly file in a single line. They leave chemical trails to make it easy for them to follow the route. All they have to do is follow the already existing trail left by someone else and leave their own chemicals for others.
Their lines gets strengthened the more ants that crawl on it.
It is the same with our minds and networks of habits. The more we repeat an action, the stronger its associated neural connections get.
Then the mind has to do less work each time. It can just follow the already strong connections. Thus, habits form.
With each of our thought and action, we are walking down a path. The more we repeat it, the easier and better that path becomes for our mind to take.
Make sure that the destination of that path is one you desire. You don’t want to end up walking off a cliff.
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