Hey, First name / Friend,
It's Ixi here with an idea that you can put into action RIGHT NOW to help accelerate your growth in whatever area of life you're focused on.
When I was in grad school in Los Angeles, I rented a house in Venice Beach with two medical students. Despite my roommates being at UCLA, and my being a USC Trojan, the big cross-town rivalry between the two schools didn't seep into our daily lives. On the contrary, when I look back on those days what I remember most is the energy in the house, and how positively it affected my mindset and outlook on my life and career.
With two high-achieving roommates hitting the books hard, being home meant being surrounded by big-time motivation and discipline. Not that we didn't have fun, we sure did: there were parties, brunches, and trips on rollerblades to the beach. The combination of intense focus and a fun, positive balance of work and life absolutely accelerated my growth as a musician, especially as I started taking auditions in earnest. What I realized later is:
We underestimate the degree that our environment shapes us.
As James Clear says, your environment is "the greatest success *hack* there is". To whatever extent you can, create an environment that supports your best behavior and attitudes.
So, how do you purposefully create an environment that supports the results you want to achieve?
1. First, take a look at the space around you. What cues are sitting in plain sight (probably dozens) that are shaping your behavior in small ways?
- Is your metronome out? You're more likely to use it.
- Is your recording device and mic set up? You'll record yourself more often!
- Do you lay your workout clothes out the night before? It'll be easier to get to the gym or run in the morning.
On the other hand:
- Is your practice chair a rolling office chair that faces your computer? You're more likely to get distracted by email or dun-dun-dun…. start scrolling.
- Does it take you minutes-that-turn-into-half-an-hour to find your rosin/ reeds/ rockstop/ music/ assignment/ excerpts/ score, or sharpen your pencils?
- Do you have a pantry full of sweets and snacks? You're more likely to reach for those instead of healthier options.
Just as a professional chef always has a "
mise-en-place" (meaning "everything in its place") where tools and ingredients are neatly organized and prepared, your practice, work or living space can be prepared in a way that works for and not against you!
Read the
blog post for a couple more ways you can design your environment with purpose!
