Environment beats intention every time
Have you ever watched yourself do the very thing you promised yourself you wouldn’t?
You set the alarm… and ignore it.
You plan the healthy meal… and eat an unhealthy snack instead.
You start the day with great intentions… and end it wondering where your time went.
And then the criticism creeps in…
“What is wrong with me?”
“Why can’t I get it together?”
“Why am I so undisciplined?”
If that sounds familiar, let me reassure you: you are not broken, weak or alone. You are human, with a brain designed for survival. The Ancient Greeks had a word for this: akrasia: acting against your own better judgement. Neuroscience now helps us understand exactly why it happens. Let me explain…
Two Systems. Two Priorities. One Daily Battle.
Inside your brain are two ‘systems’ that are always active, always negotiating and often competing.
#1 Your Prefrontal Cortex is the planner. The future-thinker. The part that sets goals, delays gratification and – mostly – knows what’s good for you. This is the part that says:
“Let’s save money.”
“Let’s wake up early.”
“Let’s choose what aligns with the life we want.”
#2 Your Limbic System sits deeper in your brain. It is the emotional responder. The part that seeks immediate reward and immediate relief. This is the part that says:
“Just have the snack.”
“Just scroll for five minutes.”
“Just press snooze.”
Both systems are always active… but they are not equally strong at all times.
This is why you might make great decisions at 10am and questionable ones at 10pm.
Your prefrontal cortex is powerful, but it’s also limited in its capacity. It loses strength when you are: tired, stressed, hungry, emotionally depleted, overwhelmed and/or over-stimulated. While the limbic system doesn’t weaken under pressure, it gets louder. So when your two systems are in conflict, the present moment often wins. Then we do the thing we said we wouldn’t and feel worse for it.
The real issue is NOT willpower! This is where we often get stuck, believing we must try harder, force discipline. Even shame ourselves into action. But relying on willpower is like relying on a muscle that is already exhausted.
What is the solution?
Consciously conditioning your environment and setting yourself up for success because…
Environment beats intention every time.
Your environment (physical, emotional, digital, social) either supports your future goals or feeds your short-term impulses. So instead of asking, “Why can’t I stick to this?” Try asking, “What is my environment making easy right now?” And… “What is it making hard?”
Because your choices are rarely just about motivation. They’re often about friction.
In addition, we tend to treat our future self like a stranger!
This is one of the most fascinating discoveries from brain imaging. The person who benefits from your good choices doesn’t feel like “you” yet. That’s why sacrifice can feel pointless in the moment. Because the brain isn’t always emotionally connected to the version of you that will be grateful tomorrow. So part of growth is not just changing behaviour. It’s strengthening your relationship with your future self.
Now that I’ve explained what’s going on in your brain, let’s take Key Steps to set ourselves up for success and…
‘be the difference that makes the difference.”
Key Steps to Design Your Environment to Help You Win
- Make your good choices require less effort
Make the right action the easiest action.
- Put your running shoes by the door.
- Prep your water bottle the night before.
- Keep your healthy snacks visible and ready.
- Open your laptop to the file you need before you go to bed.
- Lay out your clothes for the morning.
If it requires too many steps, your limbic system will bargain you out of it.
- Increase friction for the choices you want to avoid
Make the wrong action inconvenient.
- Move junk food to a hard-to-reach place.
- Add steps between you and impulsive purchases
- Delete the apps that steal your attention
- Leave your phone in another room while working
- Turn off notifications
- Use password barriers or blockers
Even ten seconds of delay can interrupt an automatic behaviour.
- Make your plans specific and detailed (because ambiguity fails)
Your brain works far better with tangibles than vague intentions. You are far more likely to succeed at:
✅ Walking for 20 minutes on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 8am, than…
❌ “I’m going to exercise more.”
Specific plans reduce decision-making and that protects your prefrontal cortex.
- Tie rewards to behaviours you want to repeat
We are wired to repeat what feels good. Instead of expecting yourself to “just do it,” pair the behaviour with something rewarding:
- Listen to your favourite podcast while walking.
- Only watch your series while stretching.
- Read your favourite novel on the elliptical.
- Have your best coffee after your journaling.
This turns discipline into desire.
- Befriend your future self
Start relating to your future self with warmth and care. When you see your future self as you and someone you love and deeply care about, not a stranger, sacrifice becomes an act of care, not punishment. Ask:
- “What will ‘Future Me’ thank me for?”
- “What would I do if ‘Future Me’ was my best friend?”
- “If this were someone I loved, what would I choose?”
What would shift for you this year if you stopped trying to force change and started designing for it?
Do it (future you deserves it) and take Key Steps to really…
‘be the difference that makes the difference.’
