How to Change Your Environment to Change Your Behavior

Episode 51 of the Faithful on the Clock podcast, hosted by Wanda Thibodeaux, titled "How to Change Your Environment to Change Your Behavior" was published on July 18, 2022 and runs 12 minutes.

July 18, 2022 ·12m · Faithful on the Clock

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Episode Description

Faithful on the Clock is a podcast with the mission of getting your work and faith aligned. We want you to understand Who you're serving and why so you can get more joy and legacy from every minute spent on the clock. Thanks for joining us and taking this step toward a more fulfilling job and relationship with God!

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In this episode...

How to Change Your Environment to Change Your Behavior

https://faithfulontheclock.com/how-to-change-your-environment-to-change-your-behavior

Growth by nature demands we change. In Episode 51 of Faithful on the Clock, I look at two essential cornerstones for shifting behavior for the better.

Timestamps:

[00:05] - Intro

[00:34] - Multiple verses from scripture remind us that, while we can trust the consistency of God, change is good for us. He’ll be with us as we grow to be better servants for Him.

[02:19] - Change can include modifying thoughts via behavior or vice versa. But Dan Ariely promotes changing your environment first to encourage shifts in what you do.

[03:08] - The first key to changing the environment is reducing friction, such as putting all your supplies in one closet if you want people to organize a certain way.

[04:18] - The story of Jacob and Esau demonstrates reducing friction in that Jacob used gifts and flocks to break down the barrier between the brothers and make it easier to reconcile.

[05:38] - The story of Judas’ betrayal of Jesus also demonstrates reducing friction. Jesus essentially gave Judas permission to go and do what he was going to do, clearing the way for the crucifixion.

[06:22] - A motivator is Ariely’s second key to changing behavior through environmental shifts. We all have different motivators, but we all need rewards and visible ways to track what we’re doing. Connecting the new behavior to a sense of purpose is effective for most people.

[07:34] - The story of me learning to swim demonstrates the addition of a motivator. The kind encouragement of others and the desire to spend time with them motivated me to overcome my fears. Everyone can learn to do new things if they just have the right carrot, so observe, find the right motivator, and adjust.

[09:16] - The story of the disciples is another example of added motivators. The disciples were motivated to preach because they had spent time with Jesus and understood who He was. They knew what was at stake if they did not spread His teachings and knew their reward was waiting for them in Heaven.

[10:06] - Recap of Ariely’s points

[10:26] - Prayer

[11:10] - Outro/What’s coming up next

Key takeaways:

Although God never changes, for us, change and growth is a positive thing. It enables us to better understand and serve Him.
There’s a connection between thought and behavior. Thought can influence what you do and vice versa.
Dan Ariely’s first recommendation for changing behavior is to reduce friction, which just means to make the new behavior as easy as possible to do. This includes making the new alternative seem at least equal to the old behavior in risk, benefit, etc. The stories of Jacob and Esau and Judas’ betrayal of Jesus both show reducing friction in practice.
Dan Ariely’s second recommendation for changing behavior is to add a motivator. This is different for everyone, but almost everyone is motivated by things that give them a sense of purpose. Adding motivators requires inner or relationship work. Me learning to swim and the preaching of the disciples are examples of motivators in action.

Want to Change Your Behavior? Make These 2 Changes to Your Environment First

CTAs:

Keep a journal or other log of your behaviors or the behaviors of others. Use the journal to determine both habits to change and the ideal motivators.
Pray for God to help reveal which changes to make in your personal life or projects. Seek feedback from others, as well.

What’s coming up next:

We’ve officially reached a full year of Faithful on the Clock! To celebrate, Episode 52 will reflect on everything we’ve learned, done, and hope yet to accomplish.

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