You Are Your Environments
“Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”
–W. Clement Stone
In order to achieve any goal you have, fitness or other, the only way you will ever achieve it is if you create the right environment around you.
I came across the excellent model I am about to share with you on my Personal Development path, and it gave me a lot of clarity about my goals for 2012 and what it will require to achieve them. Use the model and the Take Action Challenge at the end to get clear about your goals.
Designing your environment
If you’ve ever gone from working in a cluttered and disorganized office, to experiencing the calm and peace of clearing out the clutter, you’ve experienced an environmental design change.
Or maybe you’ve tried to get some work done in a stuffy public place where there was an argument going on nearby, and you moved outside to enjoy fresh air, peace and quiet, away from the exchange of harsh words. You’ve experienced another environmental design change.
If you can relate to the examples above, then you know the power that your environments have over you, and how important it is that you design these environments so they support you. We become our environments.
Environmental design is essential, because the environment always wins! If you want to win the game of life, then you must design winning environments – environments that support and inspire you.
An environment that is full of obstacles or is missing essential support will make it impossible to succeed in your efforts. This is true for any goal you are shooting for, fitness or otherwise. Well-designed environments are the key to our success in anything we want to achieve.
The wonderful model below was created by the late Thomas Leonard, the founder of coaching. It’s called “The Nine Environments of You.” When you put into practice what I am about to share, this powerful model will change your life.
The 9 Environments of YOU
Most of us think about our environment as something physical. That is only part of it. Here are the nine environments identified by Thomas Leonard:
- Memetic Environment – Ideas
- Financial Environment – Money, Wealth and Budget
- Relationship Environment – Close friends, family and close colleagues
- Network Environment – Professional Connections, Greater Community, Social Networks
- Physical Environment – Places and Things
- Body Environment – Your Energy, Appearance and Clothing
- Self Environment – Strengths, Talents and Character
- Spiritual Environment – Deep Connections and Sacred Spaces
- Nature Environment – The Great Outdoors
Let’s take a closer look…
1. The Memetic Environment
The world is full of ideas and beliefs. What you focus on expands. The question is, which ideas and beliefs does your mind focus on? How does this impact your ability to play your best game in the game of life?
How we play games is how we do life.
Notice that the Memetic environment touches the other eight environments in the model above. That’s because everything gets filtered through your mind. The words you use form the thoughts in your mind. Those thoughts produce feelings, which affect the decisions you make, which affect the actions you take, which affect the habits you create, which create the character you develop, which produces your destiny. If you want to change anything in any of your environments, it begins with the thoughts that you think and the language you use with yourself and others.
2. The Financial Environment
Nearly anything you do will be affected by your financial situation. How healthy is your financial life? If you don’t know, it may be time to take your head out of the sand and find out how you’re really doing. It is important that you have a realistic picture of your current financial health. Far too many people have lived on easy-to-get credit and have dug a deep hole because they were not paying attention.
Understand where you are now and visualize the future that you desire. What skills are required to move you in the direction of financial freedom?
3. The Relationship Environment
If you want to know someone really well, simply get to know their five closest relationships. Everyone in a person’s life acts as a mirror to some part of themselves. We become like the people we spend the most time with.
Do the people closest to you reflect who you want to be? If not, it’s time to make some changes in your relationship environment.
4. The Network Environment
As your goals change, your network environment must evolve and grow. How can you team up with others to create a supportive and thriving network? Are you networked with people who pull you up or who push you down? If you are the role model that everyone looks up to in your network, it’s time to upgrade your network – get out of your comfort zone – and spend some time with people you aspire to be like.
In sports, we are taught to challenge the best players we can find because in doing so, our skill set will improve. In other words, hang out with those who are doing what you want to do, and soon you’ll be doing it, too. If you want to get fit, surround yourself with people that have the same goal!
5. The Physical Environment
Does your physical space inspire you? Create space that nurtures you on every level and provides warmth and relaxation, safety and security, and most of all, a place that expresses your true personality and flair. Create physical space that stimulates spiritual energy and makes you feel at home. If the gym scene feels dull to you try exercising outdoors in the fresh air and surrounded by nature.
6. The Body Environment
You may not have previously thought of the body as an environment, but it is. You are NOT your body; your body is something you have, and it can be designed. The Body environment includes clothing, hair and energy. Is your body a source of inspiration to you? Is it strong, flexible and healthy?
A positive body image is one of the most important aspects of happiness and well-being, yet it is an area which often seems to be a challenge for many. Creating strength, energy and well-being through daily practices is an essential part of winning at the game of life.
7. The Self Environment
The Self is another element of the environment that is not often considered. Each of us is given unique strengths, talents, abilities and character.
Are you fully expressing your authentic Self as you were created to?
8. The Spiritual Environment
Are you getting your energy from negative points of power such as apathy, grief, fear, lust, control, overwhelm, clutter, addictions, manipulation, and anger, OR from positive points of power such as love, truth, courageousness, beauty, gratitude and peace?
As with all design choices, you can choose to get energy from the highest of sources, which ultimately come from living in a way that honors the soul.
9. The Nature Environment
Our spirits are so lifted by flowers, a beautiful rainbow, a breathtaking night sky, or a walk in a lush forest. We are drawn to beautiful views and to the sound of a waterfall, spring rain, or crashing waves on a beach. Our deep and compelling desire for a connection with nature has the potential to be a constant source of inspiration.
No matter what games we are playing in life, connection to nature can restore our natural sense of wonder. Aim to get outdoors everyday and go for a walk/swim/run/meditate whatever feels right for you.
Success can be achieved and sustained only when all nine environments are working together to support you. Change your environments and you’ll change your life … and changing only one or two of them doesn’t work!
To assist you in getting started, I’ve provided a Take Action Challenge. Click the link to get going!
