This Is More Powerful Than Willpower
When it comes to taking action and reaching our goals, we often think that willpower is the key to success.
We believe that if we just have enough willpower, we can overcome any obstacle and achieve anything we set our minds to.
But what if willpower isn't enough?
That's exactly what research has found.
Willpower is a finite resource and cannot be magically increased. We only have so much of it, and it can be depleted rapidly. If you've ever experienced burnout, this is exactly what's happening.
If progress is a priority—if reaching your goals is important—then setting up your environment for success is a key factor.
When we rely solely on willpower to achieve our goals, we're setting ourselves up for failure.
If instead we spend time on the front end setting up our environment, our preparation directly impacts our results as it encourages a much smoother process.
To further this idea, consider how your home supports (or doesn't support) the actions you desire to take.
If you want more vitality, do you have animals, plant life, and color around you?
If you want to read more, do you have a cozy nook set up in your home to facilitate this?
If you want peace, do you have calm smells, lighting, and music flowing through your space?
If you want more creativity, do you have art, a crafting space, and other inspirational sources?
If you'd like to deepen your level of focus, do you have a distraction-free space for deep work?
Your home environment should reflect the lifestyle you want to live, and should make it easier to take the actions you want to take.
Intentionally creating these spaces within your home will drastically move the needle, but the space within our home isn't the only place we can leverage positive action.
We can also encourage this forward momentum by surrounding ourselves with kind, like-minded, caring people.
Having a supportive community is essential for both your wellbeing and your ability to navigate the challenges that inevitably show up when moving towards your goals.
When you spend time with people who support and inspire you, it becomes far easier to take self-aligned actions.
There's a wind at your back—a team behind you cheering you on.
With true friends around, they not only pick you up when you're down but also provide accountability and encouragement to climb whatever mountain is in front of you.
Friends compassionately hold you through pain and delightfully share in your celebrations.
By building your community, you make yourself anti-fragile and exponentially increase your chances of success.
Again, you've leveraged your environment to make it easier for you to achieve your goals.
By cultivating a supportive home environment and social community and taking the above ideas to heart, you no longer have to rely solely on the limited energy resource of willpower.
Instead, you've created a path that makes it much easier to take the actions you desire.
If achieving your goals is a priority, focus on setting up your environment in a way that encourages the actions you want to take.
You’ll be amazed at how much easier it becomes to take the steps that lead you to your dreams.