How Your Environment is Sabotaging Your Results, And What to Do About It

A group of tired and hungry ten-year-old soccer players are invited to an after-game macaroni and cheese fest.

As the kids arrive, they are assigned to two different tables, each set up in a different room.

The kids were given the nod to partake in the scrumptious macaroni and cheese; a blend of irresistible cheddar, perfect noodles, and savory seasonings.

The kids don’t know it, but they are part of an experiment conducted by Change Anything Labs to explore how our environment effects our behavior (which affects our results).

At one table the kids were given nine-inch plates, and at the other, twelve-inch plates. Both groups were invited to enjoy seconds or thirds, until they were full and wanted no more.

Turns out, the kids with the twelve-inch plates ate more macaroni.

70% more!

Grocery stores present you with flowers and fruits just inside the door to lift your mood. They arrange the more profitable, irresistible and highly engineered snacks at eye level, so they are easy to see and reach. They put the milk and bread, the two most common purchases, in the back of the store so you must walk through the labyrinth of highly profitable and irresistible items.

Casinos have no windows or wall clocks because they want you to lose track of time and gamble more. And they have carefully designed carpet that is not attractive to look at, so you’ll keep your eyes up, where the sites and sounds of the slots can more easily tempt you and draw you in.

In the video below, professional mentalist Derren Brown trick advertising executives at their own game, and demonstrates one of the most profound examples I’ve seen of how our environment directs our thinking and our actions:

How to organize and optimize your environment for maximum success

Here are five tactics that, according to the authors of the book, “Change Anything: The New Science of Personal Success” can help:

1. Build Fences (Make New Rules): Create non-negotiable new rules that you commit to not violate. Want to stop drinking milkshakes? Your new rule might be to change your route so you’re not driving by Steak-n-Shake on your way to and from work.
2. Manage Distance: Make things that are a cue for bad habits hard to see and reach. For cues that trigger good habits, keep them close, visible, and easy to access.
3. Change Cues: Remove things from your environment that trigger bad behavior. Add things that trigger good behavior. For example, if you’re trying to eat less, tape a positive affirmation of good health, along with your “before” photo, on your refrigerator (and remove the chocolate syrup and whipped cream).
4. Use Autopilot: Want to improve your relationship? Buy season tickets to an event you and your significant other enjoy. You’re more likely to use them than lose them. Enhance this autopilot having a friend or accountability partner join you with their significant other, too.
5. Use Tools: Leverage technology by first silencing all but the essential desktop and smartphone notifications. Enhance your environment and habit change by using tools like calendar reminders, inspirational graphics, spam and ad blockers, etc.

Want more help reaching your goals?

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In Gratitude,

Dale

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