The Elephant's Role in Motivation: Understanding Laziness vs. Mental Exhaustion

Hey there!

Welcome back to the third segment on Switch by Chip & Dan Heath. Let's get right into it and see where we're at.

Estimated read: 5 minutes

Switch Framework Recap

Direct the Rider (yesterday): We've already covered this, but remember: what looks like resistance is often a lack of clarity. So provide crystal-clear direction.

Motivate the Elephant (today): What looks like laziness is often exhaustion. The Rider can't get their way by force for very long. So it's critical that you engage people's emotional side – get their Elephants on the path and cooperative.

Shape the Path (tomorrow): What looks like a people problem is often a situation problem. We call the situation (including the surrounding environment) the "Path." When you shape the Path, you make change more likely, no matter what's happening with the Rider and Elephant. (Think shrinking movie popcorn buckets.)

Tusk, Tusk, Time to Move: How to Get Your Elephant Onboard with Change!

Do you remember Jon Stegner from Day 1?

He is the guy who used a mountain of gloves to convince his company's leaders to revamp their purchasing process.

The man is a genius! He knew an excel sheet wouldn’t cut it.

He knew he had to get the management team's attention fast, so he invited them to see the 424 different types of gloves piled onto a conference table, each with a price tag. As it turned out, the company was buying all 424 types of gloves, with one department paying $5 a pair and another department or location shelling out $17 per pair for the exact same glove.

The reaction was intense: “Why are we buying so many different kinds of gloves? This is crazy!”

And the whole management team agreed to Stegner's proposal to streamline the purchasing process. This is a perfect example of how evoking a strong emotion can get the "elephant" moving in the right direction. So next time you need to create change, pile up some gloves!

Lead the Elephant Up a Small Hill First: The Story of the Car Wash Loyalty Cards

An example of leading the "elephant" up a small hill is the story of the car wash loyalty cards.

When people were told they needed ten stamps on their card to get a free wash, only 19 percent completed their card.

But when another group was told they needed 12 stamps, but the card already had two stamps, 34 percent completed the card.

By emphasizing the progress that had already been made, people were more motivated to keep going.

This strategy is similar to personal finance guru Dave Ramsey's approach to help people out of debt. Rather than focusing on paying off the largest debts first, Ramsey tells his customers to pay off their smallest debts first.

This is because it is more motivating to eliminate small debts entirely than to reduce a larger debt by a fraction. By achieving small wins, people gain momentum and become more motivated to tackle bigger challenges.

Cultivate a Growth Mindset to Overcome Failure: The Story of Paul Butler and the St. Lucia Parrot

We've got another great story for you that highlights the importance of identity when it comes to making positive changes in your life.

Back in 1977, the St. Lucia parrot was on the brink of extinction, and most citizens of St. Lucia couldn’t have cared less about it. That is until Paul Butler stepped in. Tasked with protecting the bird, Butler knew he had to do something big to get people to care. Keep in mind that he had zero power and tiny budget.

So he targeted their national identity by making the parrot a part of it. He went all out with bumper stickers, T-shirts, and volunteer action to instill a new identity in the people, and it worked! Thanks to his efforts, a groundswell of public support helped pass strict laws that saved the magnificent bird from extinction.

But here's the thing, even if people embrace a new identity or start making progress towards their goals, they're bound to have difficulty living up to it. And that's where adopting a growth mindset comes in handy. Failure is inevitable, but it's also useful because it teaches us how to improve. Failure is just a stepping stone on the path to success, Hustlers!

Thanks for tuning in! Stay motivated, and keep hustling!

Anyway, I hope this newsletter has given you some useful insights and strategies for making positive changes in your life.

It will be a great help to share this newsletter with even just one more person.

Best regards,

Camillo