In a previous e-book I wrote, I mentioned that relying solely on discipline can be a trap. Instead, I believe in designing your environment to set yourself up for success.
Recently, I experienced an excellent example of this in my personal life.
Whenever I conduct webinars, I use a large light in my office and a DSLR camera. The issue was that I kept forgetting to turn off the camera at the end of the day, unlike the light, which was too massive to miss.
Having said that, I do remember my mom used to scold me for leaving lights on but let’s not get into that.
While the light being on was an obvious reminder, turning off the DSLR camera was far less evident since the knob looked similar when on or off.
So, to solve this problem, I put stickers of an eagle and a wolf on the light switch. That way, every time I turned off the light, I was prompted to take off the camera, and it worked like a charm.
Here’s why it worked so well. I live and coach by certain principles.
Firstly, I don’t rely on memory or discipline alone. I rely on systems and processes. In this instance, I created a cue-based system or prompt using stickers from my son. It was a cost-effective system that worked every time.
Secondly, I piggybacked off of something I always do. Each time I reached for the light switch, the stickers reminded me to turn off the camera.
And finally, I found a way to break out of my automatic mode. Whenever I saw the stickers, I was reminded to check the camera.
In my coaching practice, I regularly help my clients develop these types of systems. The objective is to use principles to increase their success and accomplish more of what they want to achieve.
I’m not suggesting that you need to plaster stickers everywhere, but I am suggesting that you design your environment for success.
Don’t attempt to rely solely on willpower or discipline to achieve success. It’s a trap.