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Human action can be modeled by an elephant, a rider, and the path. Our emotional side is the Elephant and our rational side is the Rider. Perched atop the Elephant, the Rider holds the reins and seems to be the leader. But the Rider’s control is precarious because the Rider is so small relative to the Elephant. Anytime the six-ton Elephant and the Rider disagree about which direction to go, the Rider is going to lose. He’s completely overmatched. Lastly, the path is the structural elements that nudge your elephant and your rider in a direction, without effort.

Attribute Chapters
Direct the Rider l1
Motivate the Elephant l2
Shape the Path l3
  • l1
  • Find the bright spots
  • Script the critical moves
  • Point to the destination
  • l2
  • Find the feeling
  • Shrink the change
  • Grow your people
  • l3
  • Tweak the environment
  • Build Habits
  • Rally the herd
  • Keep the switch going

About Change

Direct the rider

2. Find the Bright Spots

3. Script the Critical Moves

4. Point to the Destination

Motivate the elephant

5. Find the Feeling

6. Shrink the Change

7. Grow Your People

Shape the path

8. Tweak the Environment

  • Fundamental Attribution Error
  • Often situation resulting in the behavior, not the person.
  • People problem is often a situation problem
  • See who shaped your behavior.
    • Want you to slow down, narrower roads
    • Want you to shop more, put milk (which you need at the back)
    • Don’t leave ATM card in the machine, so need to get the card before taking out cash
    • Reach for carrots, not stick
  • Ask to watch people who have trouble, you’ll see them follow the easiest path.
  • Medication Vests
    • Everyone hated it
    • 50% better ..
    • When saw impact, people start to like it.
  • Hold the marker when too many people talking at once
  • Sterile time.
  • People don’t need to change, behavior does.
  • Environment Changes more effective by People.
  • Use smaller plates. Auto-refilling soup, people never stop.
  • Self-manipulation tools.
  • This applies to magic (??) Is structural misdirection part of this
  • Force yourself to close your laptop in meetings
  • Fun to have “rider” outsmart our “elephant”.
  • Screen Time.
  • Turn off notifications
  • How to make undesirable outcomes structurally impossible.
  • Look at Amazon’s COEs
  • Machine that can cut off hands by accident. Structural fix, only turn on the machine by making 2 buttons you need to touch with a large Y shape, so hands can’t be near it.
  • Can’t life parking break off without touching brake.
  • Focus - Pre-Event; - Seat belts - Air Bags - Mid-Event ; - Post-Event - Get Ambulance There quickly - Training for physiotherapy Note, nothing about people’s motivations or discipline.

9. Build Habits

10. Rally the Herd

11. Keep the Switch Going

How does this apply to diet

Other models

Behavior Change - Prompt, Ability, Motivation

See Habits

Behavior is prompt + ability + motivation.

Focus on ability and prompt, motivation is fickle. Use motivation waves to do the large 1-time investments.

Influencer 2.0

A different model to switch, also covering change management. Essentially you need to influence through the following dimensions

quadrantChart
  x-axis Personal  --> Social
  y-axis "Motivation" --> Ability
  quadrant-1 "Group Ability"
  quadrant-2 "Skills"
  quadrant-3 "Self Regulation "
  quadrant-4 Group Motivation