Here’s something that I’ve noticed recently. I don’t say my prayers the way I used to. Yes I say my prayers. My mother will be very happy to know that.

You see I recently moved and this ritual fell out at exactly the time I changed location. It occurs to me that in my old apartment I had a physical space all set out that was right there “in my face” so to speak and it just made doing this ritual (of praying) very easy. The environment I had created “called this action forth”, as my old coach would say. My new environment does not have room for such a space and I now have to remind myself to do this practice.

This topic also came up in a course I’m doing now where they point out that if you don’t manage the clutter in your workspace, it will manage you. This reminds me of the office space of every very successful person I’ve ever been in.

Open and clear. Absolutely devoid of clutter.

Nothing on the desk besides the ubiquitous telephone, a couple ornaments, pictures of the family and maybe a computer. I’m sure there exists a famous CEO out there whose workspace is filled with bits of paper, sticky notes, reports, magazines etc., but I’ve never seen one. If you have consider he/she is the exception that proves the rule.

A clean space leaves the successful people open to possibilities. The agenda is set by the person, not by the unfinished business left laying around their workspace.

Managing your physical space consistent with what you’re up to is probably one of the most important practices you can develop.

Consider it’s no accident that you don’t do the reading you intend every evening simply because when you get home your TV dominates your living/workspace. It’s physical presence and location silently commands you.

Your TV says, “Turn me on, baby. You know I’ll be good. You know I have stuff that you want to see. Come on, kick off your shoes … forget the world outside … and let me pleasure you. ”

OK, my TV is veeery sexy. But trust me, if your TV is visibly front and center of your primary living space, you will likely watch it. If you have your fridge stocked with the sweet stuff that’s what you will eat. If your bathroom is adorned with tabloids? Guess what you’ll be reading?

So consider your physical spaces and what you put in them. If you don’t control them, they will control you.