When it comes to achieving fitness goals, many of us look to motivation as the key factor in success. We believe that willpower and talent will push us through tough times. However, if we dig a little deeper, we find that motivation is often overvalued. As James Clear discusses in his book Atomic Habits, environment plays a far more powerful role in shaping our behaviors and outcomes.
The Power of Environment
Consider how our environments affect our daily actions. In his book Guns, Germs, and Steel, anthropologist Jared Diamond explains that the shape of a continent can influence its culture and development. The shape of Europe and Asia—east to west—allowed agriculture to spread quickly due to similar climates across latitudes. By contrast, the north-south orientation of the Americas meant that farmers had to adapt to a range of climates and growing conditions, making the spread of agriculture slower and more challenging.
This simple fact has profound implications. What seems like an issue of motivation or talent—whether it’s farming, sports, or fitness—can often be better explained by the environment. Just as farmers in Europe and Asia were able to grow crops faster due to the alignment of their environment, we too can accelerate our success by shaping our surroundings to support our goals.
The Invisible Hand: How Environment Shapes Us
We often think of success as the result of hard work, effort, and grit. While these factors certainly matter, they are often outmatched by the influence of our environment. As Clear points out, people who seem naturally successful at building habits are often benefiting from an environment that supports those behaviors. The opposite is true for those who struggle—what we perceive as a lack of willpower may, in fact, be a result of an environment that makes healthy habits difficult to follow.
How to Design an Environment for Success
The good news is, you have the power to design an environment that supports your fitness goals. Here are three strategies you can implement today:
- Automate Good Decisions:
The easier you make healthy choices, the more likely you are to stick with them. For example, you could put your gym clothes out the night before, or set your kitchen up with healthy ingredients for easy meal prep. The less you have to think about these choices, the better. - Get in the Flow:
Make your environment work with your routine. If you want to practice a new habit, make it part of your regular flow. For instance, if you want to improve your mobility, place a yoga mat in your living room so you’re reminded to stretch while watching TV. Similarly, choose a gym that’s on the way home from work to make the habit easier to follow. - Subtract Negative Influences:
Remove distractions and temptations that hinder your success. If unhealthy foods are within easy reach, you’re more likely to indulge. If possible, make unhealthy choices less visible or more difficult to access. Simple changes, like storing unhealthy snacks out of sight, can make a big difference in your ability to stay on track.
The Luck of the Environment
We often blame our environment for failures but take full credit for successes. However, the truth is, our environment shapes both positive and negative outcomes. People who seem to effortlessly maintain healthy habits likely have an environment that supports those behaviors. By making small, strategic changes to your surroundings, you can create an environment that encourages your success.
At Adaptive Strength, we believe in the power of designing an environment that helps you thrive. Whether it’s our community of like-minded individuals, the personalized coaching we provide, or the structure of our programs, everything is designed to make it easier for you to succeed. If you’re ready to take your fitness to the next level, it’s time to examine how your environment is supporting—or hindering—your progress.
By consciously designing your environment to align with your goals, you’ll make it easier to maintain the habits that will lead to lasting success
