As the anonymous author pointed out, you first have to identify any bad habits before you can avoid or break them.
Fishing the Same Spot. With life being extremely busy for most folks, it's easy to find one nearby spot, and then fish only there.
It's quick to get to, you know it in and out, and last but certainly not least, you're far less likely to get skunked during your precious little time to fish.
This bad habit greatly limits you to one experience. You're not learning to deal with different conditions, bait-fish populations, water layouts, etc. You're going to the same place every time, and there's only so much you can learn from that.
Fishing the same lake or pond over and over is better than not fishing at all...understanding, of course, that convenience is necessary for the average angler. However, try to plan out trips to different spots every once in a while. When you get an extra day off and can afford to drive further, or maybe stop at a new little spot on the way home from work, try to take advantage of it.
Lucky Spot Syndrome. According to some, this probably is the most common bad habit that some people develop. You pull up to your regular spot, cast to the same stump you've hit a thousand times before, hoping to catch another massive bass like you did on your first-ever cast. Only, the fact of the matter is, there really is no "lucky spot," where you always can find a fish. Once or twice...even thrice...doesn't make that stump a "lucky spot." What usually happens is that you simply waste a lot of time trying to hit a jackpot that doesn't really exist.
Bass move around...they don't tend to rush back to the same spot where you just hooked 'em. The smart angler is one who doesn't fixate on any one spot too much.
Not Cycling Lures. If you find yourself getting skunked a lot, think about how often you're changing bass lures. If you start your trip tying on your favorite lure, then don't catch anything for 3 hours, it's likely not the fish, your position, or anything else besides YOU ruining your fishing trip.
Maybe you just have a sentimental attachment to a particular lure...or group of lures...like most do when they fish the same spot nonstop, or maybe you just hate taking a few seconds to tie on a new lure. Either way, a good rule of thumb is that you should tie on something else (when what you got ain't working) every 20 casts at most. If the fish love what you're doing, keep doing it...wear that lure out.
And, if/when you decide to change lures, don't just settle on something random. Pick through your tacklebox until you find new options that match the hatch, water conditions, and season, just like you would when picking your first lure.
Not Changing Your Retrieval Pattern. Everything from the previous tips applies. If you're using the same ol' retrieval pattern without any positive results, switch it up. If you're switching out your lure every 20 casts, try changing your retrieval every 5 to 10 casts. Sometimes, it's not the lure; it's just your presentation technique.
Buying Every Piece of Gear. There's just something about going through a tackle store that makes you want to buy everything. However, it's a massive waste of money. You'll never use 90 percent of it, and it's largely why people think fishing is expensive, when it's really a cheap hobby.
New lures, strange rod and reel designs, and more hit the market every day. Some of them are revolutionary, but most of them don't do anything that staples of the fishing world can't do, and a lot of them just flat out don't work well.
Rather than taking out a second mortgage and buying every little thing you see, in the hopes of getting an advantage, focus on the staples and building skills.
Fair-Weather Fishing. Many anglers only really fish in the late spring and summer. Once the temperature dips below 60 degrees, they put their gear up for months on end. You miss a ton of opportunities that way.
First, when you fish in colder weather, you mostly get the water to yourself. Since the bulk of anglers are home watching TV and wishing they could go fishing, you often can get a whole lake or pond to yourself. All of us know how special that can be.
Then, you have an opportunity to learn new things, such as how to change your tactics and lures to be more effective in winter. The experience itself is different because of the weather conditions. This is how you push yourself to the limit and become a better angler.
Finally, by the time the cold season comes, all those little bass from the spring spawn have had a lot of time to grow, and you're more likely to catch more substantial fish. It's a good time to set a new personal best.
Avoiding Cover. This includes such things as weeds, downed trees, submerged stumps, docks, boat ramps, etc. The point is this: Beginners tend to avoid truly committing to various forms of cover due to inconvenience. They might fish at boat ramps or docks, but the second they see foliage or a tree, they go elsewhere. Why? Because they don't want to snag their lures. Then, there's the amount of time it takes to deal with a snag. You often will waste a lot of time freeing a lure...time that you could be catching fish.
Unfortunately, when you avoid fishing in these complicated areas because of inconvenience, you miss out on the best opportunities. Bass love hanging out in these areas, and 9 times out of 10, that's where you'll find them.
Leaving Old Line on the Reel. Veterans and weekend warriors alike sometimes make this mistake. They get so involved in going fishing, they forget when they last spooled up their reels. Ignore this bad habit long enough and you'll eventually have a long, depressing story to tell your friends about how the big one got away.
Replace your line anytime it looks kinked, discolored, abraded, or otherwise worn.
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