Forces of (Human) Nature: DRIVE.
The Forces of (Human) Nature.
This blog series explores the Force Field Analysis tool (see below) to identify the forces that drive and block sustainable behaviors. We have covered the two forces that block behaviors, barriers and inertia, as well as the force of external motivators (i.e., sparks).
Today, we will explore the final frontier – erm, force – of internal motivators.
*This is a simplified version of the Force Field Analysis. The complete version includes specific deterrents and motivators tailored for conservation and sustainability programs. Join the course to receive the full diagram and learn all 22 forces.
Internal motivators = personal pushes
Internal motivators are the opposite of inertia.
Where inertia keeps us rooted to the status quo, internal motivators encourage us to keep going, even when the going gets tough.
Although the sparks get them started, the internal motivators act as personal pushes to keep them going. They provide our audience with the internal drive to stay committed and consistent in achieving the end goal.
Because at some point, the novelty of doing something new has worn off, the journey is no longer intriguing and exciting, and the process is beginning to feel tough, boring, and a bit annoying.
This vibe is especially true for routines and habits.
Routines require us to learn new skills and continually practice behaviors that take time, effort, and attention.
Habits need to be repeated over and over (and over) again until they become automatic.
Internal motivators cover that emotional space between the audience’s first attempts at trying a new behavior (“I did it!”) and when they feel fully equipped and empowered to demonstrate the behavior consistently (“I’ve got this.”)
They are the magic ingredients to maintaining the desire, resilience, and drive to pursue and achieve the desired change.
What are these magical ingredients?!?!?
Unfortunately, I don’t have a definitive answer to that question. Internal motivator forces are the most challenging to uncover.
It requires understanding WHY the audience would bother to go through all this trouble and WHAT they are getting, emotionally and psychologically, out of the experience.
Not only do these forces vary depending on your audience’s values and personal priorities, but they also differ depending on the behavior they’re adopting.
To make matters more complicated, people have an incredibly hard time articulating their “why” accurately in surveys and interviews.
(It’s not their fault. It is human nature to not totally know why we do the things we do, and, unfortunately, our research methods and timelines don’t often allow interviewers to dig beyond surface-level responses.)
Can’t stop, won’t stop.
To uncover internal motivators, it’s helpful to start by determining which routine and habit steps in the behavior journey might cause the audience to become frustrated, fatigued, or even bored.
In those moments, there is a risk that the audience will give up or regress, which is precisely when they need to channel their inner drive the most.
We can help the audience sustain their momentum (and not quit) by reinforcing the value, benefits, purpose, and meaning behind the hard work they’re doing.
That means we have to discover, test, and try messages and prompts that will help the audience say to themselves:
I want to keep going.
I need to keep trying.
I’m not going to give up.
I don’t want to let myself (or others) down.
I can do this.
A little effort is better than none.
It will only take a little time to do.
I’ll feel better after I do it.
I said I would do it, so now I gotta do it.
Or even, let’s just get this over with!
Building the drive.
Internal motivators are not typically delivered through the “one-time” events we discussed creating for sparks.
Instead, they require a longer-term plan to introduce and reinforce the motivator through the harder (and longer) parts of the behavior journey.
Think of it as planting seeds of motivation at the start of the journey that will blossom when the internal boost is needed.
But we can’t simply TELL the audience why they should keep going – that comes across as patronizing in messages. Therefore, our mission is to:
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Help them remember their WHY for making a change (whatever that may be for them personally).
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Help them tap into those internal reserves so they keep going.
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Build their confidence.
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Support their efforts and progress, no matter how far they’ve come.
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And cheer them on.
Plant seeds early.
Internal motivators can piggyback on external motivators. When designing and planning which sparks to use, consider how we can plant seeds of internal motivation in those moments.
→ Did they sign a pledge or make a commitment? We can encourage them to recall their initial enthusiasm for making a change.
→ Did they get involved in an introductory experience that introduced them to the cause? We can remind them of the “warm glow” they’ll feel after completing another step.
→ Did they join an activity with other people? We can reinforce the special group they’re part of and show how others are finding their internal drive to keep going.
→ Did they learn a new skill at a workshop or training? We can continue to build their confidence and capacity in using their new skills and tools.
As I mentioned in the previous post, creating a combination of external and internal motivating forces is key to starting and sustaining momentum, and kicking inertia to the curb!
If you’re looking for ideas about internal motivators to use, check out these two “This or That” posts about responsibility, intrinsic benefits, and self-efficacy.
Behavioral science tools, such as gamification and feedback loops, also help keep audiences motivated. There are short YouTube explainer videos at the bottom of each of those posts. Enjoy!
→ That’s a wrap on the forces of human nature series! You can revisit all four posts at any time HERE.
Do you want to create behavior journeys and identify motivators and deterrents for your audience? Then join the Making Moves course! We get into all the details during the 8-week course, so you walk away with a clear, structured plan for motivating audiences to protect the planet.