Are You Set Up to Succeed?
I almost didn’t read Angela Duckworth’s new book, Situated: Find the People and Places That Bring Out Your Best.
I already read Atomic Habits and understood the idea that our environment influences our behavior: make good habits easier, bad habits harder, and set up your surroundings to support what you want to do.
Then I moved.
Suddenly, routines and systems I’d relied on for years were gone. My work hadn’t changed. My goals hadn’t changed. I hadn’t fundamentally changed.
But my situation had.
That made me take a closer look at Duckworth’s premise—and at how I was situated. It's About More Than Your Space
Duckworth identifies four parts of our situation that we can intentionally influence:
Space. Make your physical environment work for you.
Peers. Spend time with people who reinforce where you want to go.
Mentors. Seek people who can challenge you, teach you, and expand your perspective.
Culture. Pay attention to the norms and environments that influence how you show up.
That last one particularly struck me.
You can surround yourself with terrific peers and still be in a culture that doesn’t bring out your best. You can have the perfect workspace but lack people who challenge your thinking.
Being well situated means looking at the whole picture.
Instead of always asking, Why am I not more motivated?, perhaps we should also ask: What is this environment bringing out in me? I See It in My Coaching—and in Myself
I see this with job seekers and leaders all the time. When momentum fades, the instinct is often: I need to network more. I need to be more disciplined. I just need to try harder.
What if we asked a different question: How well am I situated for the change I’m trying to make?
I’ve experienced this myself. Every other week, I meet with a small group of fellow solopreneurs to focus on business development. We share ideas, hold each other accountable—and challenge each other when we need it. In Duckworth’s language, I’ve picked my peers. A special thank you to Megan Young, Barbara Knott and Penny Coppen! You motivate me, challenge me, and make me better. Who Moves You Forward?
Thinking about inspiring peers reminded me of an exercise I use in my Lead Your Career program: building your own personal Board of Directors.
Who do you turn to for perspective, expertise, encouragement, connections—and the occasional reality check?
And who is missing?
Want more ideas?
Susan Stelter offers a helpful framework for creating one in her Harvard Business Review article, Want to Advance in Your Career? Build Your Own Board of Directors. (Subscription required)
Check out the Situated Hub.
Before you go, think about something you're trying to change or accomplish.
Your space. Your peers. Your mentors. Your culture.
Which one could use an adjustment to better support where you want to go? If you’re working on getting yourself situated for your challenges, let's talk.
Comments