Set Your Environment for Success

Prepare your work outside; get everything ready for yourself in the field, and after that build your house.

Proverbs 24:27 (ESV)

I would argue - and I believe Solomon, the writer of Proverbs 24:27 would too - that one of the greatest steps in breaking a destructive or unhealthy habit lies in the planning phase. Whether we’re trying to ditch the sugary or processed foods, put down the liquor, or stop watching porn, we all have a habit that we can’t seem to break on our own. There are many reasons why the typical human finds themselves stuck in a rut throughout their lifespan, but one of these could be the simple answer that we aren’t planning well; we aren’t preparing our environment for success.

What do I mean by that? Well, I’m glad you asked.

See, our brains have the amazing feature of being incredibly efficient. Like a stream of water trying to get down a mountain, our brains have a knack for finding the most efficient method of doing things. This is a good thing. In fact, I believe it is a God-given thing. This very attribute of the human mind is what allows us to “multi-task” *, and be performing one task while thinking about another. It happens often that I don’t consciously think about how to get from one part of town to another – I simply know my destination and I drive. While I’m driving, I might be thinking about the work project that has a deadline approaching, the next step in my DIY bathroom remodel, or the fact that I need to pick up some milk on my way home. All of these thoughts are happening concurrently with the task of driving – a task which I have performed thousands of times and which my brain is now so proficient at that it does not require much conscious thought to perform.

Are we this proficient at driving when we learned at sixteen years old? Of course not! This is why most states require an adult (in theory, a more proficient driver) to ride alongside the new driver. As a beginner, driving while avoiding accidents requires much conscious thought. As our repetitions increase, however, so does our proficiency.

So, now let’s apply this to our destructive habits.

If we are struggling to ditch the sugary foods, it could be because at some point we learned that sugary foods provide us with a mood boost. Or, maybe if we find ourselves craving a six pack every night, it’s because we learned that alcohol gave us the relaxed feeling that we’ve been craving. When this happens and our minds find that one thing that makes us feel what we’ve been missing, it remembers it. In psychological terms, this automatic craving that leads to compelled action is what we refer to as an addiction.

How do we break this cycle? There are a few great steps we can all take to help our brains break the destructive habit and form constructive ones, but one of the best first steps is to examine our environment. We must set our environment up in a way that makes the destructive habit difficult to return to and replace it with a healthy version. Here’s what that looks like:

In the case of sugary and processed foods, if we keep a package of Oreos or bag of potato chips in the pantry today, it’s not hard to imagine our willpower crumbling and reaching for a cookie tomorrow. If you really want to break the cycle of craving in your mind, making it difficult to access sugary or processed foods is the first necessary step. If needed, don’t even walk down the chip or cookie aisle in the grocery store. I know it sounds terrible but consider replacing your sugary treats with fruit. Filled with healthy sugars, fruit can serve as a natural alternative to help reset your craving levels. Whenever the craving hits, grab a handful of grapes or a few apple slices.

In the case of alcohol, keeping those bottles of wine or liquor in the house “just for cooking” leaves the door open for an easy return to the behavior you are trying to avoid. Going out to a restaurant or bar that eagerly serves alcohol with friends who eagerly drink it will only place social pressure on you to follow suit. Consider taking a new route home – one that doesn’t pass by the liquor store – and dumping all of the alcohol in your home. When friends invite you out tomorrow night, suggest a change of venue to a setting that is more friendly to forming new, healthy habits. Consider replacing alcohol with light exercise or grabbing coffee with a friend. The chemicals which alcohol produces in the brain can be replicated in healthy ways through the benefits of exercise and community.

While this probably seems rudimentary and we can all say, “Well duh,” setting our environment for success is something we all struggle with when forming a new habit. A friend of mine once said, and I have since adopted his mentality:

“You cannot overcome your demons while you are still enjoying their company.”

So, structure your environment in a way that makes your demons more difficult to enjoy. This is the heart of Proverbs 24:27. The writer, who we believe to be Solomon, is saying that the wise person is one who thinks ahead. Plant a good crop today before moving on. That way, once your house is built, you’ve got a harvest to fill the pantry.

In the same way, make choices today that promote your healthy habit continuing tomorrow.

Finally, consider these points as you go through your day:

1. How can you set up your environment to make your undesired habit difficult to return to?

2. What healthy replacement can you put in place of the unhealthy behavior?

*Multi-tasking, as we know it, is not really a thing. There has been a plethora of studies which show the human brain can only consciously focus on one thing at a time.