The Role of Environment in Success

“Environment is the invisible hand that shapes human behaviour.”

Photo by Lukas

You may have heard the phrase “motivation is key” when it comes to achieving success.

You’ve most likely also read articles and books on why it’s important to keep your motivation high.

I would like to share a secret with you.

It’s unreliable.

You need to let it go. It does not work in the long run.

I want you to shift your focus to your environment instead.

It is the key to unlocking the success that you crave.

I want to share a technique on how you can create this environment for yourself.

But first, I must explain why the environment is important.

The environment serves as a cue

“People tend to whisper in churches because they are in a church. In dark alleys, people will be more cautious and will protect themselves.” — James Clear

Our surroundings serve as a cue for how we should act. This cuts both ways.

You’re more likely to feel motivated and energized if you’re around lively, enthusiastic people.

On the other hand, if you’re surrounded by negative or unmotivated people, you might find yourself feeling down.

So, to succeed, you must change your environment to guide your behavior in the right direction.

But first, consider the following questions:

• Is your workplace beneficial to your success?
• Are there any distractions or bad influences impeding your progress?

Photo by Sharefaith

This is how you design the optimal environment

You need to make the elements of your success visible to yourself in your everyday life.

Here are a couple of suggestions for things you could do:

• If you want to practice your guitar skills, make sure to place the guitar in your living room.
• If you want to read more books, maybe try to place a stack of books beside your TV in your living room.
• If you want to exercise more, maybe prepare fitness clothes on your bed every day

The design of your environment makes it so you can win back control and become the architect of your own life.

Make sure to design your world instead of just consuming it.

Photo by Jens Mahnke

So if you wish for more success in your life, you have to create an environment that fosters that.

A stable environment where everything has a purpose and where habits can be easily formed.

If you’re interested in further exploring the topic of environments and how to change them, I would suggest checking out “Atomic Habits” by James Clear.

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