It’s that time of year when my closet experiences a clothing swap. Everything that’s been on hangers in spring and summer goes into a storage bin, and my fall-winter clothes migrate to the closet. The reason I do this, of course, is because I live in a climate where the temperatures drastically change with seasons. 

Now, I could just leave everything from all four seasons in my closet, which is big enough.  But I don’t because I only want to see what I need because I make quicker decisions when there are fewer options.

So yes, my wardrobe changes reflect the external environment, but they also reflect my internal thinking.  And that’s key.  Because I formed these habits when I started practicing the skill of self-awareness. 

Environments and things or surroundings impact what truly matters, who you are, and what kind of person you want to be. They can navigate motivation and drive consistent action.

Dan and Chip Heath brought to popularity numerous studies pointing to the power of our environments in their book Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard. Environment fundamentals include structures, systems, and schedules. Structures ensure things get done. Systems are processes and practices used to make things happen. And scheduling is obvious: book an appointment.

Rather than waiting for inspiration to strike, organize whatever will make doing it ridiculously convenient. Instead of relying on willpower to fight against an undesired urge, practice a 1 to 3-minute ritual that disrupts it. How could you make some kind of structure, system, or scheduling work for you? How can you create “winning” in an environment that might benefit your motivations the most?