Small Tweaks, Big Leaps: Crafting Your Success Environment
By making small changes in your surroundings, you can make the right actions easier to do and the wrong ones harder.
As an elite athlete, you probably realise that success isn’t just about the hours you put in or the number of reps you complete.
In addition to the entry price, the environment that you are in plays a huge role in influencing your behaviours. They will either nudge you towards or away from your goals.
Let’s explore how you can use your environment to support your journey to excellence.
The Psychology Behind Environmental Influence
Our brains love shortcuts.
They're constantly looking for ways to save effort, which is why habits, both good and bad, are so powerful. They allow us to perform tasks without using too much mental energy. This is where your environment comes into play.
By making small changes in your surroundings, you can make the right actions easier to do and the wrong ones harder.
Visibility: Keep Your Goals in Sight
Have you ever heard the saying, "Out of sight, out of mind?"
It's incredibly accurate when it comes to goal-setting. If you're training for a marathon, having your running shoes and gear ready by the door acts as a visual reminder of your goal.
Similarly, if you're aiming to improve your diet, keeping healthy snacks visible and easily accessible can steer you away from less nutritious options.
Personal Note: I first read Atomic Habits by James Clear in 2018. Following his suggestion, I removed the TV from our living room and simply placed it under my office desk (unplugged). The lack of visibility plus the friction of setting it up when I want to watch something results in my not watching TV at all.
Accessibility: Make It Easy to Do Right
The easier it is to do something, the more likely you'll do it.
This means setting up your environment to reduce barriers to good habits. Having your water bottle on your bedside table can encourage you to drink more before bed and when you wake up.
You could do the same in the kitchen by placing fruits within easy access to aid your nutrition.
Cues: Design Your Daily Reminders
Our environment is full of cues that can trigger specific behaviours.
By adding or altering cues in your surroundings, you can create triggers for productive habits. If you're working on your free throws, print out and stick your progress charts on the mirror in your bathroom. Most people take one last glance at the mirror before they leave home.
You’ll be constantly reminded of your shooting progress making you more likely to get shots up when you’re in the gym.
Community: Your Surroundings Include People
The people around you are part of your environment too.
Surrounding yourself with peers who share your ambitions and dedication can be incredibly motivating. If your teammates stroll into practice casually and go through the motions in practice, willpower will only get you so far. After some initial struggles, you may end up falling into the same routine as them.
Recruit a buddy and become each other’s support pillar or accountability partner. Arrange a time to get into the gym and workout, so that each of you is pushing the other to the edge of your comfort zone.
Reflection: Monitor and Adjust
Creating an environment that supports your goals isn't a one-time setup.
It requires ongoing adjustment and reflection. Pay attention to what's working and what isn't. Maybe you find that keeping your guitar in the living room encourages you to practice more, or perhaps you study better in the quiet of the library than at home.
You have to find what works for you, in your situation.
Navigating the Challenges
As you navigate the challenges and triumphs of your sports journey, remember that the spaces around you can be powerful allies.
By making thoughtful, small adjustments to your environment, you're not just setting up your space for success; you're setting up yourself. Each tweak, each adjustment, is a step towards becoming the athlete you aim to be.
So, take a moment to look around. What small change can you make today that will help you tomorrow?