To change someone’s behavior, change their environment

Interesting thought from James Clear’s newsletter:

It is not necessary to change a person in order to change their behavior. Just change their environment.

James Clear

I’ve talked about changing habits by changing friction before, but that was about changing your OWN habits. I like the notion that we can change other people’s habits and behaviors by adjusting their environment (i.e., friction).

Example:

• You want your kids to eat healthier? Instead of trying to force them, stop buying unhealthy foods.
• You want your direct report to speak up more in meetings? Change the meeting format such that speaking up becomes a part of the structure.
• You want your parents to exercise more? Put a kettlebell right beside their couch.