“Your ZIP code matters more than your genetic code.”
— Dan Heath, Upstream: How to solve problems before they happen
At my gym, there’s a crew called the Sunrise Squad.
They train together.
They plan active weekends.
They cheer each other on.
No one’s preaching or pushing, but the message is loud,
People like us do things like this.
They’ve built a culture, one that supports consistency, health, joy.
It’s not about willpower.
It’s not about motivation.
It’s about environment.
Just look at the Blue Zones, places where people routinely live past 100.
Or business hubs like Silicon Valley.
It’s not superior genes.
It’s the ecosystem: shared values, access to resources, identity by osmosis.
That’s why behavior change experts like BJ Fogg and Katy Milkman say the environment is the #1 lever.
Not mindset.
Not habits.
Not goals.
Environment.
It's not you that needs to change first.
It’s where you are, and who you’re around.
The people you talk to.
The podcasts you binge.
The coworkers in your meetings.
The friends who drag you to 5am workouts.
Or brunch.
Or burnout.
If you're trying to create a health culture at home…
Or a resilience, innovation, or focus culture at work…
Don’t start by fixing people.
Start by fixing the surroundings.
Because environment shapes your behavior.
And your behaviors shape your future.
