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Everyone has certain things that they would like to achieve in life — and a lot has been written and said already about the best ways to pursue particular goals, or to maximise your chances of success in a given field.
When it comes right down to it, though, your ability to achieve any of your goals — whether personal or professional — is likely to have a huge amount to do with your overall environment, as opposed to just the things that you try to do on a personal level, day by day.
It’s largely because of the impact and significance of environment and surroundings that things like desk booking software are so popular, and it’s well known that certain environments are just more conducive to effective work and studying than others.
Here are just a few ways in which your environment can make all the difference in your ability to successfully achieve your goals.
Your environment largely determines the “path of least resistance”
As human beings, we are all inclined to follow the “path of least resistance” in most situations, most of the time, as opposed to always exerting maximum willpower.
In fact, research among psychologists seems to suggest that our willpower actually gets depleted the more we use it throughout the day.
In the book “Nudge,” the authors look at many highly significant examples of how consumer behaviour — and society at large — ends up being shaped by subtle environmental cues that are managed by businesses and governments. In many cases, consumer behaviours end up being dramatically influenced by things as seemingly inconsequential as positioning candy in one area of a shop versus another area.
Your environment largely determines the “path of least resistance” for you. So try to do everything you can so that the path of least resistance leads you in a direction you actually want to go in.
The “social contagion effect” is very real
Sayings such as “you are the average of the five people you spend the most time around” have been used in self-development circles for a long time — and there’s certainly something to these slogans.
Researchers have found that the “social contagion effect” is quite real, with individuals naturally tending to conform to the habits, behaviours, and expectations of their peer groups in ways that are both positive and uplifting, and negative and harmful.
Putting yourself in an environment where you are surrounded by people who influence you in a good way can be very powerful.
Your moods and energy levels can be significantly shaped by your environment
Your mood and energy levels are always going to be subject to the kind of environment you find yourself in, in a range of different ways.
A clean, well-illuminated environment that contains warm ornaments and furniture that have emotional resonance for you will naturally tend to make you feel better than an environment that’s messy, gloomy, and that seems devoid of personality.
Shaping your environment to enhance your mood can help you to achieve a lot, and to feel your best, as well.
