Look around the room you're in right now.
Does this space make commitment easier or harder?
If you work from a couch with a TV in front of you—commitment is harder.
If your desk is covered in clutter and old projects—commitment is harder.
If every surface has a reminder of who you used to be—commitment is harder.
Your environment sends signals to your brain constantly. Signals about who you are, what you do, what's expected of you.
A gym sends signals: "People exercise here." A library sends signals: "People focus here." A couch in front of Netflix sends signals: "People relax here."
Most people design their environments for comfort. Then wonder why they can't commit.
When I finally got serious, I rebuilt my environment from scratch:
Physical space:
Desk faces a wall, not a window
Nothing on the desk except what I'm working on
Phone charges in a different room
No TV in the office
Digital space:
Notifications off for everything except calls
No social media apps on phone
Homepage is a blank tab, not an algorithm
Temporal space:
Morning routine is locked
No meetings before noon
Work blocks are protected
None of this is complicated. All of it is effective.
Your environment isn't neutral. It's either pulling you toward commitment or away from it.
What signals is your environment sending you?
Done negotiating.
-Joel