As I was wrapping up my talk on systems for behavior change at scale — turning strategic aspirations into lived results — at the Align & Inspire offsite with the Department of Economic Growth and Tourism, one participant asked:
“Angela, if we don’t use a system like this, what’s the risk of failure of our initiatives?”
“Research says 75% of change initiatives fail globally due to the disconnect between plans and action. So I’d say that’s a pretty good estimation.”
75% failure rate. Smartest people involved. Billions of budgets spent.
Research also says about 80% of New Year’s resolutions fail in the first month.
Different contexts. Same problem.
Only a small percentage of people, and organizations, manage to translate goals into lasting results.
Why is that?🤔
In 18 years of coaching, 25 years of trying to improve myself in ways that last, reading hundreds of articles, books, listening to podcasts, studying behavioral science, here’s what I’ve learned:
It’s not about willpower.
It’s not about motivation.
It’s not about “imperfect humans.”
It’s about the absence of a system designed for human behavior.
Change works quite well, and lasts, when:
1. You can answer this question:
“If I were to videotape you making this change, what would I see?”
If it’s not visible, it’s not actionable.
If it’s not specific, it’s not measurable.
If it’s not concrete, it’s not gonna be real.
2. You make it easy, remembered, and rewarded.
Eliminate friction.
Prepare in advance.
Don’t rely on memory, build prompts.
Don’t rely on motivation, design incentives all the way.
Acknowledge progress. Involve others.
Your brain is: Lazy. Forgetful. Self-interested.
It constantly asks:
“What’s in it for me?”
So design for the brain you have, not the one you wish you had.
3. You measure what matters.
There’s a reason the phrase “what gets measured gets managed” has survived for decades.
Measurement creates attention.
Attention changes behavior.
Self-monitoring and being watched by others increase follow-through.
We try harder when we know someone is watching.
Even when that someone is us.
There are, of course, many more nuances to lasting change. Decades of research went into that.
Cognitive biases.
Our energy fluctuations.
Motivation dips.
Confusion.
Misalignment.
Ego.
...
I don’t pretend to know it all.
But the purpose of my work, whether it’s a government offsite, culture transformation, or 1:1 coaching, isn’t perfection, or knowing it all.
It’s progress towards better.
One habit.
One behavior.
One daily action at a time.
Helping people see what completely changed my life:
Everything you want: in work, leadership, health, culture, personal growth - depends on something incredibly simple.
The daily actions you take, daily action that depends far more on good systems than on perfect humans.
Over to you, dear reader,
What do you want to create or change this year? And what system will make that action reality-proof, even on your worst day?
