Environments for Success

What?

Environment → Setup for success means designing your physical and digital surroundings to make it easier to do what you want to do—and harder to do what you don’t want to do.

This idea is promoted by experts like BJ Fogg (author of Tiny Habits) and James Clear (author of Atomic Habits), who emphasize that your environment shapes your behavior more than motivation or willpower.

Why?

Because you tend to follow the path of least resistance. Thus, if your environment supports your goals, you’re more likely to follow through. Examples:

• If healthy snacks are visible, you eat healthier.
• If your phone is in another room, you’re less distracted.
• If your workout clothes are laid out, you’re more likely to exercise.

How?

• Remove friction from good habits: Put tools or prompts in plain sight.
  • Example: Place your book on your pillow to encourage nighttime reading.
• Add friction to bad habits: Make them harder to access.
  • Example: Delete distracting apps or move them to a folder.
• Use cues in your environment to trigger actions:
  • Example: Put a water bottle on your desk to remember to hydrate.