Mythbusters or Behavioral Grooves? This week, we step back in time with Kurt and Tim (2023) to tackle the common belief that willpower alone is enough to achieve your goals. They delve into the critical roles that environment and routines play in goal attainment. Through engaging real-life examples, they demonstrate how small adjustments in your physical and social surroundings can simplify desired behaviors and reduce the need for sheer willpower.

Routines are essential for success, providing the structure needed to support your goals. Tim and Kurt offer practical strategies for minimizing friction and sustaining motivation. By establishing effective routines, you can make goal-oriented behaviors more automatic and less reliant on willpower.

In this republished episode, listeners get to join Kurt and Tim as they groove on the topic, offering actionable advice and insights on creating an environment and routine that support your goals. Tune in to learn how to set yourself up for success with these expert tips.

[1:25] Willpower is a muscle

[4:12] Making your environment work for you

[7:39] Clutter is distracting

[11:36] Routines and habits

[16:06] Routines that help us achieve our goals

Brain/Shift Journal

Mazuch & Rona (2005), “Creating healing environments: humanistic architecture and therapeutic design”

McMains & Kastner (2011), “Interactions of top-down and bottom-up mechanisms in human visual cortex”

Wendy Wood, “Good Habits, Bad Habits: The Science of Making Positive Changes That Stick”

Katy Milkman, “How to Change: The Science of Getting from Where You Are to Where You Want to Be”