When Willpower Fails, Change Your Environment

Hi friend,

A personal story for you today:

For the last 15 years, I’ve been living without a television at home. Then, last year, we moved abroad to a furnished place that came with a TV. We thought, "Why not keep it? It might help our kids learn German."

What happened next was predictable in hindsight:

• What started as occasional viewing became a daily habit

• Soon they were waking up early just to watch shows

• Family time turned into battles over screen time and show preferences

• Our "just one hour" rule required constant enforcement and created friction

After months of this struggle, I made a simple decision: I dismantled the cables and moved the TV to our bedroom.

The result? In the past 30 days: no TV time, no arguments, no fights.

This is what behavioral scientists call a commitment device or a point of no return; a decision you make once that eliminates hundreds of future decisions.

The truth is, willpower isn't something we can endlessly strengthen. It's a finite resource that depletes throughout the day. Every time we resist temptation, we use a bit more of it.

The most effective habit-builders don't rely on superhuman discipline. Instead, they:

• Remove temptations completely (like moving the TV)

• Pay for commitments upfront (creating financial stakes)

• Use social accountability (workout partners who expect you to show up)

• Design their environment to make good choices automatically

As James Clear writes in Atomic Habits, "Make the cues of your good habits obvious and the cues of your bad habits invisible."

What's one temptation in your environment you could completely remove rather than constantly resist? (Comment below or send me a DM!)

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Thanks for reading!

Selim

www.selimuysal.net | DailyHabits.blog 

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