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When we hear about behavioural science and evolutionary psychology, it can sound daunting and, worse still, far removed from our day to day decisions and interactions. Low on relevance, high on hyperbole.

But I’m guessing you are more familiar with the tenets of behavioural science than you realise. I’m even going to guess that you hold a lot of the insights into human nature in your hand, twice, maybe three times a day.

Ahh, the humble tube of toothpaste.

If you’re up for...

Is the world moving more quickly, really?

I've been thinking a lot about the speed of change lately, largely because every book or podcast seems to lament how quickly things are moving and the challenge this poses in keeping up.

You've heard it too, no doubt. "Things were so much simpler 10, 20, 50 years ago".

Yes and no.

What if the pace of change is an illusion?

Like this. The image appears to be moving, but it's actually not.

Why we never get ahead of the curve

Where a lot of...

What kind of habits do people struggle most with, and what can we do?

In this article I’m going to share three types of habits, and the best strategies to use with each.

A few years ago I wrote a book called The How of Habits, and since then I’ve provided a free “habits inventory” tool on my website that people can fill out to self-assess areas they’d like to improve.

I get the de-identified, aggregate data that indicates what people would most like to get...

I never would have imagined I would become vegan, but as someone who is deeply into behaviour change I thought I’d share the reason it happened.

In case you are still a little fuzzy about what a vegan diet entails, it is plant-based without meat, eggs or dairy. I had become vegetarian earlier in the year so eliminating meat wasn’t a significant step. Dairy was. So why did it need to happen?

Ice cream.

I had developed an ice-coffee habit, enjoying one most lunch times. Was this a...

I was excited to present at the world's biggest and best festival of behavioural science, created by Ogilvy.

It kicked off in Sydney and travelled around the globe, finishing in New York 14 hours later.

Here's my 'tight ten' in which I explain my behaviour change model.

What now?

• Read a quick overview of my Behaviour Change Model here.
• Clarify your very own behavioural challenge with my free Behavioural Analysis tool.
• Get behavioural tips and ideas by subscribing...

For some, moderation works. My mother, for example, can leave food on her plate and limit herself to two squares of chocolate a night.

For others, elimination is better. I am prone to eating everything on my plate and gobbling two ROWS of chocolate. I am therefore better to serve smaller meals on smaller plates, eliminating the decision whether and how much to leave. Eliminating chocolate from the house also works best for me.

Whether you are wired to moderate or eliminate will have a large...

I have a frosty relationship with cooking. It’s not something I find relaxing. It’s not something I like to spend time on. It’s not something in which I have confidence.

This has meant being bound to recipes. I stick to the process and trust the outcome will be okay.

But there’s a difference between following a recipe and knowing how to cook.

Recipe-culture is infecting business

Recipe-culture is infecting - and ruining - business.

• On LinkedIn, for example, people are...

Bri explains that in order to overcome resistance to behavioural influence, you need to focus on:

• Capacity
• Clarity and
• Confidence

Most of the techniques I talk about deal with subconscious influences on behaviour; how the time of day impacts who gets out of jail or how music in a shop can change what people buy, for example.

But today I want to help you have conversations with people. In short, how to lead an individual or group through the need to change so they get on board and stop resisting you.

Bri’s Zorro Technique

Created in 1919 by American writer Johnston McCulley, Zorro is a fictional character who...