Design your environment based on your desired actions

It's easier to create new behaviour by creating conditions by yourself than using plain willpower.

Creating conditions is much more effective than (delusionally) thinking that you can do everything by your willpower. Your brain energy is limited, therefore plan its usage smartly.

Some examples:

  • To be progressive, surround yourself with progressive people.
  • To run, join a club.
  • To focus, go to a library.

Surround yourself with people you would like to be - intellectual superhumans can do heavy lifting for you.

It's interesting that this also works for the opposite - when you want not to do something. This occurrence has its roots in Greek literature:

  • Ulysses deliberately arranged to be tied to the mast by his comrades so that he could listen to the sirens without falling victim to their trap.

By creating special environmental conditions, as in the above examples, you "outsource" your behavioural motivation to your surroundings, letting it work as a lever for your willpower.

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