Your Goals Don’t Stand a Chance If Your Environment Is Working Against You

Let’s talk about goals for a minute - from small and achievable to the great, lofty, scary ones. Planning for our future selves can be so much fun, the plethora of possibilities are an instant mood booster. We’ve all been there, putting together our vision boards a glue stick and scissors in hand, smiling down at magazine cutouts of our big bold ideas. Then somewhere along the way, we lose sight of the how, the execution of it all. 

Big bold ideas usually require big bold actions, and that’s where things typically get lost in translation. 

You can have the clearest goals in the world, but if your environment isn’t set up to support the work, you’re basically fighting yourself every single day.

Ask me how I know…

Enter: Mega Bed

This is where I drag my mattress into the living room, push it up against the couch, and create what can only be described as a nest of comfort and bad decisions. I usually limit this set-up to when my nephews sleep over and we indulge in movie nights. But this was my first time doing it for myself and by myself. 

It was amazing, until it wasn’t.

The last few days of my life can be described as cozy and calm. The Mega Bed was perfect for resting, resetting, and reflecting.

But productivity? Down the drain.

The minute I touched that mega bed, my brain clocked out. 

Exercising? Nope. 

Work? Never heard of her. 

Focus? Gone.

Instead, I was suddenly three seasons deep into Mr. Mercedes with chip crumbs nestled in places I’d rather not say.

That’s when it hit me: This environment was designed for rest, not momentum.

So I made an executive decision to pack that shit up and return to my usual living situation. Which created an instant shift.

Your Environment Is Either Helping You or Hurting You

There Is No Neutral. This is the part that really matters.

Most of us don’t fail because we’re lazy. We fail because our setup doesn’t match our intentions.

We say we want to:

• Eat better

• Move more

• Focus

• Build something

• Feel better

…but then we surround ourselves with distractions, temptations, and friction.

So here’s the reframe that changed everything for me:

Stop relying on willpower. Start relying on design.

Practical Ways to Set Yourself Up for Success

Note: Everyone’s “success setup” is different, and that’s okay

1. Remove the Thing That’s Making Life Too Comfortable

If you know something kills your productivity, let it go or implement boundaries:

• The couch

• The bed

• The snacks

• The app

• The situationship (had to say it)

It’s not always discipline you need, sometimes it’s distance.

Common Fixes to Common Issues:

• Keeping your phone in another room

• Not working from bed

• Deleting Uber Eats during the week

• Creating a “work-only” zone in your space

Basically, make the wrong choice harder and make the right choice easier.

2. Prep for the Version of You Who’s Tired

Motivation is cute until you’re exhausted. We're all grownups here, just trying to manage it all. You know those days when you get home from work or socializing and you simply have nothing left to give? That’s why preparation matters. Things like cleaning your home before the trip, meal prepping, having your nighttime routine laid out. The key is: get in front of the potential issue before it becomes an actual issue.

3. Do the Hard Thing First

If something is looming over your day (hello, gym), just get it over with. The longer it sits in your head, the more you resent it. When you start with the “hard thing”, there’s this sense of accomplishment that lives within you throughout the day - like you’re ready to conquer the world (you’ve already done the “hardest thing”)

Try:

• Morning workouts

• Early errands

• One non-negotiable task before noon

Momentum loves an early win.

4. Romanticize the Work

You don’t need to suffer through your goals or punish yourself.

Make things enjoyable:

• Download a playlist only for workouts

• Order an overpriced coffee to get you through that meeting

• Listen to a podcast while cleaning your space

• Light a candle while working

You’re allowed to enjoy the process. Struggle isn’t a requirement.

5. Design for Who You Actually Are

Not who you wish you were.

If you:

• Hate cooking → simplify meals

• Hate silence → add background noise

• Hate mornings → shift your schedule

• Hate rigidity → build flexibility in

Self-awareness beats self-criticism every time.

Final Thoughts:

Your goals don’t need more pressure, they need better support.

Instead of asking, “Why can’t I stick to this?” Try asking, “What in my environment is making this harder than it needs to be?”

Once your space, habits, and routines start working with you instead of against you, everything gets lighter.

And sometimes the most productive thing you can do for your future self is dragging a mattress back into the bedroom and admitting that the mega bed era was fun while it lasted.

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BONUS - 3 Small Things I’ve Done To Help Accomplish Goals:

• Having a “daily outfit” planned, I’m like a cartoon character, an unapologetic outfit repeater. I also eat the exact same meals every day (like a dog, lol)

• I have a rule about not being allowed to turn the TV on before 5pm (I work from home)

• I only drink from large cups to ensure that I get my daily water intake (sometimes, the act of having to get up for a refill is enough to just not do it at all)