Motivation is Overvalued. Environment Often Matters More.

Motivation is Overvalued. Environment Often Matters More.

When it comes to achieving success, many people believe that motivation and talent are the key factors. However, if we examine how human behavior has been shaped over time, we discover that motivation (and even talent) is often overvalued. In many cases, the environment matters more.

One interesting example of this is the spread of agriculture around the globe. Farmers had an easier time expanding along east-west routes than along north-south ones. As a result, agriculture spread two to three times faster across Asia and Europe than it did up and down the Americas. This demonstrates how the environment can play a significant role in shaping outcomes.

While personal characteristics such as motivation and talent certainly matter, especially in the short term, over a long time period, they tend to get overpowered by the environment. If you want to maximize your odds of success, then you need to operate in an environment that accelerates your results rather than hinders them.

This concept can also be applied to reading and learning. In order to remember what you read, it's not just about motivation or talent. It's about creating the right environment for retention and application.

One important aspect of creating the right reading environment is to automate good decisions. Design an environment that makes good decisions for you whenever possible. This means surrounding yourself with books and materials that pique your interest and resonate with your current situation. When you find a book that is interesting and relevant, you are more likely to remember its contents in the future.

Another crucial element is to develop good reading habits. Passive readers forget things almost as quickly as they read them. Active readers, on the other hand, retain the bulk of what they read. Active readers also have the advantage of being able to read faster the more they read.

To enhance your reading experience, it's important to have a plan for recording, reflecting on, and putting into action the conclusions you draw from the information you consume. Making notes is an important foundation for reflecting and integrating what you read into your mind. Find a notetaking system that works for you and is easy to stick to. This will help you remember key points and make connections between different concepts.

It's also beneficial to age your thoughts and understanding. After finishing a book, put it aside for a week and think deeply about the lessons and key stories that could be used for your own projects. Then go back and put these important sections on notecards. This process of reflection and organization helps solidify your understanding and retention of the material.

Engaging with the author and the text is another strategy for active reading. Don't be afraid to write in the margins and jot down connections and tangential thoughts. Building a dialogue with the author through marginalia helps to keep your mind actively engaged while reading.

Additionally, forming your own links and connections between concepts is a fruitful way to remember what you read. Every concept or fact can be linked to countless others. By making an effort to form your own links, you strengthen your memory and understanding of the material.

Teaching others is also a powerful way to embed information in your mind. This is part of the Feynman technique, which involves explaining a concept to someone else as if they were a beginner. Sharing ideas and discussing what you've learned with others helps reinforce your knowledge and deepen your understanding. Consider joining a book club or finding a group of like-minded individuals to exchange thoughts and insights with.

Finally, creating a catalogue of everything you learn from reading is a priceless resource. This catalogue can be consulted whenever you need inspiration, want to confirm a thought, or are looking for ideas. By making your reading searchable, you can easily access the knowledge you've gained and apply it to different areas of your life.

In conclusion, while motivation and talent are important, the environment often matters more in shaping our behavior and outcomes. This applies to reading and learning as well. By creating an environment that supports active reading, reflection, and engagement, you can maximize your retention and application of the material. Remember to automate good decisions, develop good reading habits, and make your reading searchable for future reference.