--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: First you get a habit, then it gets you." description: "\"First you get a habit, then it gets you.\" — Napoleon Hill" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8b/napoleon-hill-201_firsts_first-you-get-a-habit-then-it-gets-you-7_772857.jpg" --- # First you get a habit, then it gets you. ![“First you get a habit, then it gets you.” quote by Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8b/napoleon-hill-201_firsts_first-you-get-a-habit-then-it-gets-you-7_772857.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8b/napoleon-hill-201_firsts_first-you-get-a-habit-then-it-gets-you-7_772857.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8b/napoleon-hill-201_firsts_first-you-get-a-habit-then-it-gets-you-7_772857.jpg) > “First you get a habit, then it gets you.” [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Habits form first, then they shape behavior and outcomes, creating a feedback loop. **In simple terms:** Habits develop, then control you. Key Takeaway Cultivate positive habits early. Themes self‑discipline habit formation success Mood motivational determined Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - daily routines - fitness plans - learning schedules - financial budgeting Key Concepts behavioral psychology goal setting personal development Questions to Reflect On - What habit defines your current path? - How can you replace a negative habit with a positive one? A Different Perspective Bad habits can be hard to break. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Gets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gets/) [Habit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habit/) [Habit Gets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habit-gets-2461290/) [Habits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/habits/) ## Related quotes > [“It's the habit that gets you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-mcdonald/it-s-the-habit-that-gets-you/) [Abby McDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-mcdonald/) > [To this day I always insist on working out a problem from the beginning without reading up on it first, a habit that sometimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-b-laughlin/to-this-day-i-always-insist-on-working-out-a-problem-from-the/) [Robert B. Laughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-b-laughlin/) > [Every once in a while someone without a single bad habit gets caught.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kin-hubbard/every-once-in-a-while-someone-without-a-single-bad-habit-gets-caught/) [Kin Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kin-hubbard/) > [Motivation gets you going and habit gets you there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/motivation-gets-you-going-and-habit-gets-you-there/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [Change, not habit, is what gets most of us down; habit is the stabilizer of human society, change accounts for its progress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-feather/change-not-habit-is-what-gets-most-of-us-down-habit-is-the-stabilizer/) [William Feather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-feather/) > [“Writing has become a habit with you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/writing-has-become-a-habit-with-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Men take on the nature and the habits and the power of thought of those with whom they associate in a spirit of sympathy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/men-take-on-the-nature-and-the-habits-and-the-power-of-thought-of/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The habit of taking the line of least resistance makes all rivers and some men crooked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-habit-of-taking-the-line-of-least-resistance-makes-all-rivers-and/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [When I first started, I was really nervous. You could hear my voice quiver. So I started drinking a bit and that helped. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-mcgraw/when-i-first-started-i-was-really-nervous-you-could-hear-my-voice/) [Tim McGraw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-mcgraw/) > [To build a twenty-first-century economy, America must revive a nineteenth-century habit--investing in the common, national economic resources that enable every person and every firm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/to-build-a-twenty-first-century-economy-america-must-revive-a/) [William J. 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It is your responsibility to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/positive-and-negative-emotions-cannot-occupy-the-mind-at-the-same/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The most practical of all methods for controlling the mind is the habit of keeping it busy with a definite purpose, backed by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-most-practical-of-all-methods-for-controlling-the-mind-is-the/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I would drink gallons of coffee a day. Even now, off caffeine, I talk faster than anyone you've ever met. I finally recognized that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-englander/i-would-drink-gallons-of-coffee-a-day-even-now-off-caffeine-i-talk/) [Nathan Englander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-englander/) ## More by Napoleon Hill > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The best way to succeed in this world is to act on the advice you give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-best-way-to-succeed-in-this-world-is-to-act-on-the-advice-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [A state of mind is something that one assumes. It cannot be purchased, it must be created.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/a-state-of-mind-is-something-that-one-assumes-it-cannot-be-purchased/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The mind requires regular use to remain strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-mind-requires-regular-use-to-remain-strong/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The vast majority of people are born, grow up, struggle and go through life in misery and failure, not realizing that it would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-vast-majority-of-people-are-born-grow-up-struggle-and-go-through/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [No accurate thinker will judge another person by that which the other person's enemies say about him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/no-accurate-thinker-will-judge-another-person-by-that-which-the-other/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“To all these I wish to convey the thought that all achievement, no matter what may be its nature, or its purpose, must begin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/to-all-these-i-wish-to-convey-the-thought-that-all-achievement-no/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“Tell the world what you intend to do, but first show it.” This”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/tell-the-world-what-you-intend-to-do-but-first-show-it-this/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Handicaps can be converted into stepping stones on which one may climb toward some worthy goal, unless they are accepted as obstacles, and used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/handicaps-can-be-converted-into-stepping-stones-on-which-one-may/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [You become what you think about](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/you-become-what-you-think-about/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Every man's own character is written so all who will may read it, in the expression of his eyes, the tone of his voice,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/every-man-s-own-character-is-written-so-all-who-will-may-read-it-in/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Life is a mirror of your consistent thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/life-is-a-mirror-of-your-consistent-thoughts/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Success requires no explanations. Failure permits no alibis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/success-requires-no-explanations-failure-permits-no-alibis/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [The habit of taking the line of least resistance makes all rivers and some men crooked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-habit-of-taking-the-line-of-least-resistance-makes-all-rivers-and/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“There are no limitations to the mind except those that we acknowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/there-are-no-limitations-to-the-mind-except-those-that-we-acknowledge/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) [Explore all 928 Napoleon Hill quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) ## More Firsts quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [My first ever job after college was as a flight attendant. I wanted to travel and could not afford it, so I decided to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacqueline-winspear/my-first-ever-job-after-college-was-as-a-flight-attendant-i-wanted-to/) [Jacqueline Winspear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacqueline-winspear/) > [Since I worked with Danny Boyle before on Slumdog Millionaire, we have great success and everything. So, when I first got the script and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-r-rahman/since-i-worked-with-danny-boyle-before-on-slumdog-millionaire-we-have/) [A. R. 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Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [I did not know that the planning for biological and chemical warfare was so widespread in England, and even in France before France fell.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholson-baker/i-did-not-know-that-the-planning-for-biological-and-chemical-warfare/) [Nicholson Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholson-baker/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [When I first started, my message was about joy, but I didn't really have the vocabulary and life experience to fully deliver it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/when-i-first-started-my-message-was-about-joy-but-i-didn-t-really/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/) [Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The U.S.-Mexican border es un herida abierta where the Third World grates against the first and bleeds. And before a scab forms it hemorrhages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-e-anzald-a/the-u-s-mexican-border-es-un-herida-abierta-where-the-third-world/) [Gloria E. Anzaldúa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-e-anzald-a/) > [Meanwhile someone is shining my head to get it dry to attach my top-hat to my head with toupee tape. I get into microphone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/meanwhile-someone-is-shining-my-head-to-get-it-dry-to-attach-my-top/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) > [Peace is the first thing the angels sang. Peace is the mark of the children of God. Peace is the nurse of love. Peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-i/peace-is-the-first-thing-the-angels-sang-peace-is-the-mark-of-the/) [Pope Leo I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-i/) [Browse all 32,432 Firsts quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "First you get a habit, then it gets you.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Napoleon Hill" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/first-you-get-a-habit-then-it-gets-you/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Firsts" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/first-you-get-a-habit-then-it-gets-you/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8b/napoleon-hill-201_firsts_first-you-get-a-habit-then-it-gets-you-7_772857.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8b/napoleon-hill-201_firsts_first-you-get-a-habit-then-it-gets-you-7_772857.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d8b/napoleon-hill-201_firsts_first-you-get-a-habit-then-it-gets-you-7_772857.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“First you get a habit, then it gets you.” — Napoleon Hill", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Napoleon Hill", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "First you get a habit, then...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/first-you-get-a-habit-then-it-gets-you/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/first-you-get-a-habit-then-it-gets-you/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```