How your environment creates your habits

Change your environment, change your habits

Habits are tied to your environment. To change a habit or create a new one, create the environment to support it. 

Pavlov’s dog

You know the story of Pavlov’s dog. Pavlov rang a bell every time he fed his dog. Eventually, when Pavlov rang the bell, it made his dog’s mouth water, even when there was no food. His dog linked the ringing bell to food.

Is that the same thing as environment? 

Yes.

 Your environment just means the conditions when a behavior takes place. That can refer to a physical location, but it can also refer to the sights, sounds or even how you’re dressed.

(If you don’t think how you dress affects your behavior, think about the last time you wore a nice outfit. How did people respond to you and how did this affect your behavior)?

“Environment” just refers to all the ways you experience your surroundings through your senses. Again, this can be the physical setting, smells, sounds, etc.

If you change your environment, you change your habits, because behaviors are tied to our environment. 

This is especially true of habitual behaviors.

What’s a habit?

Here’s a quick reminder about habits.

 A habit is a strategy your brain employs to achieve a goal. That goal can be anything: to reduce stress, make money, get in shape, etc. 

Habits are what your brain uses to achieve one of two things: to keep you alive and make you happy. 

A habit is like a computer program. If a behavior worked in the past to make you happy, then your brain remembers to execute that program again in the future when the same conditions arise. 

If this -> then that

Your brain executes behaviors to achieve goals. If a behavior works - if it makes you happy, relieves stress, keeps you alive, etc. - then it will run that program when the same conditions apply in the future. 

Your brain reads external cues to tell itself what habits to run. External cues = your environment. Therefore, control your environment and create the external cues that tell your brain to run the habits you want to succeed.

Sound hokey? Who cares. It’s something your brain already does, so you might as well put yourself in the driver’s seat.

Driver or passenger?

Have you ever noticed that you tend to drink your coffee in the same place? Are there certain places that just instantly spark memories and certain feelings? If you’ve ever smoked, you probably know that there are specific triggers or times that prompt you to smoke more.

Environment affects you. Like it or not, there’s no debating it. The only thing now is whether you want to put it to your advantage. 

You can do this in two ways. One: know what triggers you. Two: create environmental cues when you want to create a new habit.

Know your triggers

Different things trigger your habits, both for good or for bad. Obviously this is different for every person, but the more you understand what triggers you, the more you can control it. 

What kind of work environment is more productive for you? If sunlight affects your mood, then make sure you’re by a window with plenty of light. 

If you hate the sun and are more productive in the shade, then close the blinds. Crank up the AC. 

Do you work better with music or silence? Do you thrive in a more chaotic, busy environment or do you want clean, uncluttered surfaces. 

Again, everyone’s different and that’s great. Learn what makes you different and set the conditions for your success.

Not just work

You see this even in things like gym culture. When I was growing up, people talked in the weightroom. You’d talk and cut up between sets. Even to strangers. 

Today’s gym is  a headphone culture. Your playlist gets you in the zone. In a lot of gyms today it’d be rude to talk to a stranger. It’s definitely not always encouraged. 

But the key here is that these are different environments. What’s good for one person isn’t the same for everyone else. 

If putting a playlist on your airpods helps you lift and get in the zone. Do it. But if it helps you to talk to your buddy between sets, find somebody who works out the same way. Bottom line: seek out the environment that helps you succeed.

Take inventory

If you’re dealing with a negative habit that you want to reduce but don’t know what triggers it, then focus solely on that habit for a week. Write down when it happens throughout the day. What other things are going on when that habit occurs?

At the end of the day, notice what environmental factors are associated with that habit. Methodically reduce or eliminate one of those factors until you find the one that triggers the negative habit.

Rinse. Repeat.

Build your environment

To start a new habit, build the environment for the habit to thrive. Don’t be afraid to choose an environment randomly. As long as it’s distinct from your normal environment, your brain will associate it with that new habit.

Think about Pavlov’s dog and the bell. There’s no reason for a dog to link bells and food, but it worked. If you create environmental cues for your new habit that are distinct from the rest of your life and routine, then you’ll associate those new cues to the new habit.

When you place yourself in that environment in the future, it will trigger your brain to engage and create the habit.

Reduce friction

Hack your brain by reducing the friction needed to go from point A to B. 

Create the cues needed for success and the cues will kickstart your brain into action.

Work with Anthony and hit the rocket fuel 🚀button on your success!

Click below to schedule your free strategy call and apply for 1:1 coaching:

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