Willpower is a lie.

The other day I came across some typical productivity advice online. A few “experts” going back and forth about working harder, pushing through, and embracing the grindset.

I rolled my eyes.

Because after years of building my business, I've learned something that contradicts most of the advice we are fed on social media. I’ve learned that willpower is basically useless when your environment is working against you.

The Truth No One Talks About

We constantly hear about success stories from people who "just decided” to change their habits:

"I started waking up at 5 AM."
"I work on my side hustle from 8p until 11p."
"I cut out sugar completely."

There’s nothing wrong with any of those things. I wake up pretty early myself, and I enjoy working on my business. I, unfortunately, also like sugar.

But when you look closer at these stories, they’re usually missing a critical factor that made the success possible in the first place — the environments that made these choices even possible.

The 5am’er doesn't mention they live alone with no children and go to bed at 9 PM. The side hustlers often have spouses handling everything else in their life. And the sugar-free folks don't mention they have private chefs or a prepared food delivery services.

I'm not saying these people aren't working hard. I’m sure they are!

But they've also (consciously or unconsciously) built environments that support their goals, instead of grinding away in environments that sabotage them.

Environment Beats Willpower

To be clear, I'm a big fan of taking personal responsibility. I believe we should own our choices and their consequences, for better or worse.

But I also believe in being realistic about how human behavior works. I know how it works from my own experience.

I used to think I could do anything with enough motivation. And sometimes, for a short period of time, I could. But long-term change? That only happened when I changed my environment first.

And this isn't a woo-woo theory. It's science:

• When healthy food is available and junk food isn’t, you eat better.
• When your phone’s in greyscale and you delete social apps, you look at your phone less.
• When you set up automatic transfers to your savings account, you save more.

It’s not about being “weak” or “strong.” I’m talking about being aware of how your brain actually works, and being smart with that awareness.

Why We Get This Wrong

We love to believe in the myth of willpower because we get sold on it every day:

"I can do anything if I just set my mind to it!"

And I get it. I feel it for a while after seeing a motivational video or reading something that gets me amped. That kind of stuff puts us in the driver's seat. And it makes success feel accessible. We naturally like that kind of message, because it feels friendly.

But it also sets you up for feelings of failure when your environment wins. And it will win, most of the time.

A friend of mine is a monster entrepreneur who runs a massively successful, $20M business. He recently told me this —

"I'm not more disciplined than most people. I just removed every possible obstacle between me and my work."

At first I thought he was being a bit modest. He’s a great person and businessman. But the more we talked about this, the more I realized his current reality makes him a much different person than he was 10 years ago.

Before he hit it big, he was in worse physical shape, worked a lot harder, slept less, and struggled with relationships.

And now, with incredible financial success, he has a home gym, a personal trainer, a chef, a Chief Operating Officer, and two assistants.

His new environment is designed specifically to support his goals. But he’s candid about how hard it was to reach “peak” anything before he had such a supportive environment.

The Reset Approach

So how do you actually apply this if you’re not a multi-millionaire with lots of free time?

With logic.

Instead of saying "I need more discipline," try asking, "How is my current environment making this hard?"

For any habit you're struggling with, look at your physical space, your digital setup, your schedule, and your social circle.

Then start by making one small change to your environment before trying to change your behavior.

Want to write more? Create a space that's only for writing, distraction-free.

Want to exercise regularly? Get your workout shoes out, your clothes ready, and put it on your calendar as an appointment you can’t miss.

Want to build a business without burning out? Design working hours that actually fit your life. Try 30 to 45-minute bursts that allow you to chip away at that side hustle.

The Real Definition of Discipline

I don’t think of discipline as being strong enough to force yourself to do hard things in difficult environments.

Discipline is about doing your best to design an environment where the right choices become easier choices.

The funny part of all of this?

Once you start doing this, your friends and family will look at your results and say:

"Wow, you have amazing willpower…"

They may not see the environment design that makes it all possible. But they’ll notice the  outcome.

And that's okay. Let them think you're superhuman while you're just being super strategic. Or share this article with them.

The Bottom Line

In the long run, your environment will almost always win against your willpower.

The best thing you can do is stop trying to be the exception to the rule. Don’t blame yourself when willpower fails. And definitely stop listening to folks who say you just have to "want it more."

Instead, start designing your environment intentionally. Look for opportunities to make small changes that make the right choices easier and the wrong choices harder.

Because if your surroundings line up perfectly to support your goals, you won't need motivation quotes to keep going.

You’ll just need to show up. And that’s a big part of the battle.

That's all for today.

See you next Saturday.