The Happiness Equation: Why We’re Unhappy and How to Fix It
We chase happiness like it’s a trophy we misplaced. We buy things, hit milestones, check boxes, and then…
Work with Yu-kai
The Blog
Ideas on motivation, behavior & design.
Deep dives on the psychology behind why people do what they do — from Yu-kai Chou, creator of the Octalysis Framework. Pick the topic that matters to you.
Self-Gamification Paradox: Why You Can’t Motivate Yourself
You’ve probably heard that gamification works. Points, leaderboards, achievements, status. You’ve probably also heard that you can gamify…
First Major Win State: Onboarding’s Key Metric
I spent the last decade watching good products with smart teams fail for the same reason: they were…
Life as RPG: How to Convert Your Life Into a Game
In 2002, I quit Diablo II and watched my character vanish. Three months of inactivity, and thousands of…
Designing for Different Audiences Through Octalysis
Every product designer faces the same question: “Who am I actually building for?” Most people answer with demographics.…
The Complexity Threshold: Can Your Users Handle It?
The question I hear most often is, “Won’t this be too complicated?” Designers ask it. Stakeholders demand it.…
The CD7 × CD8 Gambling Spiral: How Casinos Exploit Human Motivation
I want you to picture something. You’re standing in front of two buttons. Press the first button, and…