Environment
The Overlooked System of Getting Things Done
The environment can create a space of possibility for a certain level of intentionality. What made the coups of the 1950s possible for military juntas in their late 20s? Environment. What enabled Netanyahu to enter politics earlier than he might have been ready for? Environment. What gave Elon Musk the ability to handle and dare millions of dollars in ventures? Environment.
Other times, you have to push yourself to get things done. You might need to get extremely serious about completing tasks — goal 1, goal 2, goal 3 — and then suddenly pause and achieve nothing again. The problem is exactly what it seems to be.
The answer might lie in the environment. You need the right, encouraging environment.
Being intentional is perhaps the second hardest thing to do in this world. Unlike ‘acting,’ it is more authentic in every sense. Acting is often temporary, but being intentional means you must ‘act,’ keep acting, and constantly remind yourself you’re not just acting — when in reality, you must act continuously to maintain the level you have intentionally set for yourself. And this is even more rigorous.
You literally have to remain at that height until all conditions, people, resources, and systems accept that this is your new level.
The funniest thing about being intentional is that, due to its nature, people feel intimidated. They feel guilt; they feel like they’re faking it — especially because they are new to that level. One of the greatest misconceptions we have is that we will seamlessly grow into a new height and it will feel normal, not new. If that is the case when you arrive at a new level, you haven’t, in fact, moved from the previous level — you’ve merely changed angles.
The environment provides a soft cushion for the whole new experience of being intentional. In the right environment, which can consist of people, places, or both, certain things are already in place, making it easier to attempt and achieve other goals from that level.
What made the coups of the 1950s possible for military juntas in their late 20s? Environment. What enabled Netanyahu to enter politics earlier than he might have been ready for? Environment. What gave Elon Musk the ability to handle and dare millions of dollars in ventures? Environment. Again and again, environment becomes the overlooked factor in the room, capable of making things happen with less struggle.
How can you find the right environment?
- Create one.
- Go and Spend more time in the right environment.
