People, Places, Things: Creating an Environment for Motivation
People, Places, Things: Creating an Environment for Motivation
Feeling Unmotivated Lately? Take a Look at Your Environment
We've all experienced it - that feeling of just not having the motivation to pursue our goals. You start energized and focused, but somewhere along the way, your drive fizzles out. Suddenly, even minor tasks feel like climbing Mt. Everest.
If this sounds familiar, it's easy to get down on yourself and think you don't have that inner motivation in you. But what if I told you the problem might not be you but your environment?
As I recently discussed on my podcast, your environment plays a massive role in sustaining motivation over the long haul. And by environment, I mean the people you surround yourself with, the places you spend your time, and the things you devote resources like money to.
Here's the truth - human beings are deeply influenced by their surroundings. Someone exposed to negativity and pessimism day in and day out will start to embody those traits. On the other hand, surrounding yourself with cheerleaders who make you feel capable of anything is motivating.
Even the most self-disciplined and driven person will eventually crumble if their environment constantly works against them. The people we interact with, the places we go, and how we spend our time/money shape our mindset.
So if you want to get your motivation back, take a hard look at your environment. Are the dominant personalities in your life bringing you up or dragging you down? Do they believe in you and your abilities or discourage you from pursuing dreams?
What about the places you frequent most? Do they enable progress toward your goals or derail them? For example, if you're trying to get healthier, how often do you go to gyms versus fast food joints?
And finally, how are you spending your resources? Are you devoting time and money to pleasure at the expense of your dreams? Or carefully investing in assets that support your goals, like courses, tools, etc?
Now, I'm not saying you need only to surround yourself with cheerleaders. Having candid people who keep you accountable is healthy. But there's a difference between that and those who undermine you.
Optimizing your environment to maximize motivation takes effort. But it could be the game-changer you need to get your mojo back and accomplish great things. Your environment has more power over you than you realize. Take control of it and unlock your potential.
