Stop Fighting Your Willpower
Most people believe that building better habits is a test of character. They think that if they just had more discipline, they would exercise more, eat better, or focus longer.
But there is a hidden truth: Environment is the invisible hand that shapes human behavior. You don’t choose your habits in a vacuum; you choose them based on the options presented to you by your surroundings. If you want to change your life, stop trying to change your mind and start changing your “terrain.”
1. The Law of Friction
Every habit has a “cost of entry” called friction.
- To build a good habit: You must decrease the friction. (Example: If you want to run in the morning, set your shoes and clothes next to your bed the night before).
- To break a bad habit: You must increase the friction. (Example: If you spend too much time on social media, delete the apps and only log in via a desktop computer).
The Goal: Make progress as natural as the flow of water—it always takes the path of least resistance.
2. Visual Cues: What You See is What You Do
We are visual creatures. A large part of our brain is dedicated to processing sight. Therefore, the most persistent cues for our habits are visual.
- If the vitamins are hidden in the cupboard, you will forget them.
- If the phone is always on your desk, you will check it.
Action Step: Design your space so that the cues for your best habits are obvious and impossible to miss.
3. One Space, One Use
Our brains associate environments with specific actions. This is why it’s hard to work in bed or sleep in an office. To master your environment, try to create “zones”:
- The Deep Work Zone: A specific chair or desk where only focused work happens.
- The Relaxation Zone: Where no screens are allowed.
When you enter a specific zone, your brain automatically switches to the required mindset without any effort from your willpower.
Conclusion: Become the Architect
You are either the victim of your environment or the architect of it. You don’t have to be a slave to the way your room, your office, or your phone is currently set up.
Start today: Look around your immediate space. What is one small thing you can move, hide, or display to make your transformation inevitable?