In Switch, Chip and Dan Heath argue that knowing something is not enough to prompt change. You have to “find the feeling”. My version of this concept is “meaningful consequence”, which I believe is necessary to trigger a change in behavior. This is the case whether the behavior you are trying to change is yours (which you can control) or that of someone else (which you can influence).
This past winter season – which for those of us in the Northeast extends well into Spring – I suffered the inconvenience of bronchitis twice. Both bouts lasted three weeks. Apparently, the first time wasn’t convincing enough for me to examine my habits and determine what I could do to prevent recurrence. When bronchitis returned for its second attempt to teach me a lesson, it demanded my attention. I missed two days of work in a row, which is two days more than I’ve missed consecutively in the past decade. Eventually I recovered and was able to catch up on all my work and home obligations, but I decided: “Never again”. Was this my meaningful consequence? That remains to be seen long-term but so far, change is unfolding. Having studied healthy habits for many years, I know that there are basically 5 ways to prevent illness: eat healthy, exercise, limit stress, sleep well, and wash your hands. I ticked off almost everything on my list after Bronchitis #2 arrived, leading me to the conclusion that it’s finally time for me to get serious about my eating habits.
Generally and compared to the overall human population, I am a healthy eater. However, there is much room for improvement. Embracing my bibliophile learning preference, I purchased How Not To Die by Michael Greger, M.D. The book is huge and I’m working through it methodically, appreciating the scientific research backing Greger’s claims. The introduction was enough to reinforce my hunch that my eating habits are both the cause of and solution to my problem – to borrow a concept from The Culprit and the Cure by Steven Aldana. Reading How Not to Die is in itself a meaningful consequence. I do not have to personally experience the consequence; rather, I can imagine it by learning about how so many others suffer needlessly because they do not consider a plant-based diet to be a viable option for them.
This post isn’t about going vegan – though I have cut out meat at this point and am aspiring to limit fish and dairy as much as possible – it’s about not being willing to make a change until the change outcome finally feels worthy of the change effort. That’s “finding the feeling” and the essence of meaningful consequence.
Originally published May 6, 2018 on www.kiddenprep.com
