🗺 Better Decisions Make a Better World

Goals:

• To create a significant difference in the development of features, copy for the app MindGarden.

• Guess less on whether or not a feature will make an impact.

• Understand the first principles of human motivation.

• I think of behavioral science to be foundational building blocks for other very important fields such as design and gamification.

• A new lens to dissect great products and distinguish them from bad ones.

![Screen Shot 2022-08-19 at 4.31.45 PM.png](<https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/secure.notion-static.com/62089e36-43dd-48cd-a21c-36f571d129a4/Screen_Shot_2022-08-19_at_4.31.45_PM.png>)

• [ ] What is success?
  • Systems goal: 10 blog posts published
  • 1 feature change based on science.
  • The ability to go from question based on data to tangible impact. Reaching a new level, in order to take this app to the next level so do I.

Legend

B: ⇒ Book

RP: ⇒ Research Paper

Thought Process

• If are to think about behavior change from first principles it would make most sense to start with neuroscience. The problem is you could spend months studying the subject before getting to anything related to behavior change. If you’re hardcore and have the time then it might be a worthwhile investment.
• The Knowledge:
  • What are the first principles of behavior change?
    • I would point to motivation/desire to be first principles. The building blocks to get anyone to do anything. There’s also the case that behavior change from an imbalance in a person’s body. If it’s too hot, if someone is too hungry, if someone is too bored.
    • Behavior = Motivation * Ability * Prompt
      • This is such a simple formula, but if it was really that simple, everyone would have 6 pack abs, and would be rich. There’s so much complexity and variation in this equation that I hopefully understand at a much deeper level after this degree.
    • Learn frameworks/concepts such as dual process theory, bounded rationality, the psychology of habits, prospect theory, social norms, and temporal biases.
  • Field Leaders: Daniel Kahneman, Amos Tversky, Richard Thaler, Cass Sunstein, Dan Ariely, and Robert Cialdini.
• The Execution
  • It’s essential to understand the frameworks, concepts, famous experiments. These are the fundamentals to play at a higher level.
    • Experimental Design
    • Data Analytics
• Writing/Teaching
  • I plan to write as many Twitter Threads and blog posts as I can teaching what I learn. Breaking down apps, and products in order to pinpoint my weak points and learn much more efficiently.