Taking a page from the Cognitive Design school

I saw this post today, and I thought it really tied into Loose Change: Rewards Change Kids' Eating Habits

This post discusses a study of parents offering rewards like stickers to kids after eating a vegetable.  After a few weeks, the kids who were generally rewarded were offered the veggie with no reward, and they actually chose to eat the veggie.  So, in essence, providing a reward actually produced the desired change.

If we use rewards to help us or others develop a change, will we be more successful?  My first thought is, "I'm an adult!  I know when I stick to a change and when I don't - and that's good enough for me!"... But is it?  Maybe it's time we start rewarding ourselves (or organizations).

Another interesting point in this article is that the kids received stickers - unrelated to the food.  Does it make sense for us to keep our rewards separate?  For example, if you are trying to change your gym habits and you make it 7 days in a row, maybe you should reward yourself with a massage rather than a day off from the gym.  If you eat your veggies for 7 days in a row, you shouldn't reward yourself with Oreos - choose a movie instead.

I'm going to do some more research on rewards.  I'm really nerding out.

Why is it hard to do things we know we should do?

There are lots of things we should just "do".  Go to the gym.  Not eat late at night.  Stop swearing.  Whatever.  There are lots of things we know we should do, but it's hard.  Someone looking from the outside might not think it's hard.  But it is.  

Change is a strange creature.  Sometimes it's a blast - like moving into a new house.  Sometimes it super sucks - like getting up early to get your butt to the gym.  

But in all cases, change takes motivation, but it also requires courage & optimism.  Two things I usually have, but not today.  Some days in the change journey will be difficult.  Courage and optimism will wax and wane.  But I think it's helpful to identify the days we're weak in that courage and optimism.  You can still be dedicated and motivated toward your change, but that motivation doesn't mean you can do it.  

Think of it this way: to change, I MUST believe in these statements:

1) I believe I can change (courage).

2) I WANT this change (motivation).

3) I believe that this change will improve my life (optimism).

For me today, I'm super struggling with #1 and #3.  I know something needs to change, so I feel motivated to make the change-- #2 done.

I'm a firm believer that everything happens for a reason.  I believe the change is going to make my life worse for a while, but eventually better.  Today, the glass is not 1/2 empty or 1/2 full; there are 4 oz of water in the glass.  But to really get moving on this change, I need the true emotional commitment.  I think we all do - we need to be emotionally invested in that long-term future state, and look past the pains of the short-term struggle.

And even though I really want this change in my life, I'm not entirely sure I have the strength to do this.  As I said, it's going to be a mess for a while.  It's going to make my life harder first, and eventually easier.  

W. Bridges, Managing Transitions

William Bridges has a framework around transitions.  He says that you have to let go of what's going on now, and that can be really really challenging.  Then, once you finally let go, it takes a while (neutral zone) to re-establish patterns - to figure out how to do things again.  Then finally you set those patterns in the new beginning.

For another model of Bridge's framework, see: http://selfleadership.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/transition1.jpg

So here I am.  I can see that I have to let go, and I simply don't have the courage to do so.  I can't see past the immediate dangers to see the long-term benefits.

This happens all the time in organizations.  We can get people on board with the idea or business case for the change, but then we see them standing on the edge, and they just can't seem to make the leap.

How can we get them to jump?  How can we give them the courage and the optimism?

Just Jump In!