Why Do Stories Make Dry Content Unforgettable?
Stories activate three Core Drives at once where dry content activates zero. Here's the 3-drive storytelling method Yu-kai…
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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.
Why Do Smart People Buy High and Sell Low?
Everyone knows the rule. Buy low, sell high. Almost nobody does it. The behavior gap shows up in…
The Skills Spectrum: Specialist, Dabbler, or Master?
The career advice you grew up on lied to you. “Pick one thing. Get great at it. Become…
Why Can’t You Measure What Actually Matters?
Every fitness app on Earth wants to reduce heart attacks. None of them can measure heart attacks. That…
Did Mark Rober Misname the Super Mario Effect?
Mark Rober’s TEDxPenn talk on the Super Mario Effect has done something rare for a piece of motivation…
Why Do New Users Quit? The Onboarding Belonging Equation
I’ve sat in roughly forty different churches as a first-time visitor across six countries. Most of them lost…
Octalysis Level 2 Requirements: The Wireframing Test
Level 2 Octalysis Certification raises the bar with wireframes, comparative analysis, and a complete Strategy Dashboard. Here's what…
Uncertainty Reduction Theory: An S-Tier Behavioral Designer’s Guide
Berger & Calabrese's Uncertainty Reduction Theory in plain English — 7 axioms, 3 strategies, the Sunnafrank rebuttal, and…
Moral Foundations Theory: An S-Tier Behavioral Designer’s Guide
Moral Foundations Theory proposes six universal moral dimensions — Care, Fairness, Loyalty, Authority, Sanctity, and Liberty — that…