QuoteProject
If you hear on the weather report that it's going to rain tomorrow, rather than reminding yourself to bring your umbrella, set the umbrella by the front door - now the environment is reminding you to bring the umbrella.
Daniel Levitin
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

Make your environment work for you by setting reminders that prompt your desired actions.

This quote emphasizes the importance of structuring our environment in a way that encourages and supports our decisions and actions. Instead of relying solely on our memory or willpower to remember tasks, we can create physical reminders that prompt us to act, thus increasing our likelihood of success in fulfilling our intentions.

Themes

EnvironmentRemindersUmbrellaActionMemory

In practice

Example use cases

During a staff meeting, to encourage people to submit their reports on time, you might quote this to emphasize the importance of setting up reminder systems.

More from Daniel Levitin

As soon as you hear a proposition, the creative brain in humans assumes for the moment that it's true, and starts trying to find evidence. It's what computer scientists in the old days used to call 'Fifo:' first in, first out. The first piece of information that gets in has a privileged position, even if it's misinformation.
Daniel LevitinRead
What music is better able to do than language is to represent the complexity of human emotional states.
Daniel LevitinRead
Information overload refers to the notion that we're trying to take in more than the brain can handle.
Daniel LevitinRead
That walk around the block, that fresh air, is going to help you work more quickly and effectively when you get back.
Daniel LevitinRead
There are a lot of books about how to get organized and a lot of books about how to be better and more productive at business, but I don't know of one that grounds any of these in the science.
Daniel LevitinRead
There's an ancient connection between movement and music. Most languages don't make a distinction between the words 'music' and 'dance.' And we can see that in the brain. When people are lying perfectly still but listening to music, the neurons in the motor cortex are firing.
Daniel LevitinRead

Similar quotes

To be in good moral condition requires at least as much training as to be in good physical condition.
Jawaharlal NehruRead
Regrets are a waste of time. They're the past crippling you in the present.
Federico FelliniRead
Tact is the ability to describe others as they see themselves.
Abraham LincolnRead
Always fall in with what you're asked to accept. Take what is given, and make it over your way. My aim in life has always been to hold my own with whatever's going. Not against: with.
Robert FrostRead
It is only one who is thoroughly acquainted with the evils of war that can thoroughly understand the profitable way of carrying it on.
Sun TzuRead
every pleasure's got an edge of pain, pay your ticket and don't complain
Bob DylanRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.