Benjamin Hardy was going nowhere. After barely graduating high school, he admits that he spent 12-15 hours a day playing World of Warcraft while living at his cousin’s house with no job. He wanted to be better, but didn’t know how to take that desire and transform it into action.

It wasn’t until Benjamin’s environment changed that he realized he had the capacity to be different. Years later, Benjamin is a foster parent to three children, one of the top contributors on Medium, a PhD candidate in psychology, and author of the powerful and compelling book, Willpower Doesn’t Work. In our conversation, Benjamin shares that even though he is an avid consumer of self improvement books, the popular concept that all change comes from within is at odds with what psychology studies have long shown—environment influences behavior. If an individual truly wants to change, they need to address environmental factors that encourage their existing behavior patterns.

Benjamin is generous in this interview, not only in his advice to those who seek change but also to those who are looking to write and get their work published as he did. He shows how it is possible to go from “dreamer” to “do-er,” and I hope that you enjoy our conversation.