64: Sean Young | Changing Your Life for Good with SCIENCE

Behavior Types

Behavior change requires understanding the different types of behaviors and applying the right tools to address them. Sean Young explains that behaviors can be classified into unconscious, compulsive, and rationalized bad behaviors, each needing a specific approach. For instance, unconscious behaviors benefit from tools like 'easy' and 'engrained,' while compulsive behaviors might require 'neuro hacks' and 'captivating rewards' 1. Jordan Harbinger emphasizes the importance of using scientifically-backed methods to tackle these behaviors effectively 2.

The reason why we need to know the difference between A, B, and C behaviors is that, like I gave the example earlier on of interrupting, interrupting is often in A behavior, and for C behaviors, all of the seven forces, all of the seven tools are helpful for changing C behaviors.

--- Sean Young

By understanding these distinctions, one can better strategize and implement changes that stick.

   

Captivating Rewards

Captivating rewards play a crucial role in maintaining motivation for behavior change. Sean Young highlights that not all rewards are equally effective; they must be genuinely engaging to be impactful. He shares an example of a study on chronic pain patients who found an online community so captivating that it significantly influenced their behavior 3. Jordan Harbinger adds that the SCIENCE model, which includes captivating rewards, is rooted in decades of research and is designed to help people remember and apply these tools effectively 4.

If we want to get ourselves or others to be motivated, you can't just give people any reward. It's got to be something that's what I call captivating.

--- Sean Young

This approach ensures that the rewards are meaningful and contribute to lasting behavior change.