7. Systems Over Willpower: When Movement Creates Motivation
Why do some people consistently create, while others wait for motivation to strike? In this episode, we flip the script on willpower and uncover why action sparks motivation—not the other way around. Drawing from behavioral science, systems thinking, and real-world examples—from Olympic athletes to public transit and grocery store design—we explore how structure beats self-control every time.You’ll learn:Why “motivation waves” always crash—and how to stop relying on them.How the Zeigarnik Effect makes starting the hardest step.What Olympic routines, supermarket layouts, and tech apps teach us about consistency.Practical ways to design your starting line so showing up becomes inevitable.If billion-dollar companies use behavioral design to shape your habits, why not apply the same principles to your creative life? Stop waiting to feel ready—start building systems that carry you forward.🔗 Research & books mentioned: BJ Fogg, Amy Cuddy, B.F. Skinner, Daniel Kahneman, Charles Duhigg, James Clear, Richard Thaler, Carol Dweck, Paco Underhill.👉 Actionable challenge inside: Design the tiniest first step for a creative project you’ve been postponing.
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22:16
6. Hidden Forces Behind Decision-Making
Why do we pick the “popular” option, stick with sunk costs, or feel swayed by the first number we hear? In this episode, we uncover the hidden forces, social proof, anchoring, the decoy effect, and loss aversion that shape our choices more than we realize. From pricing tricks to team decisions, these biases are everywhere. Spotting them doesn’t make us immune, but it does give us a pause, and in that pause lies the power to choose differently.So here’s the question: if you could see the invisible strings behind your decisions, which ones would you cut, and which would you let guide you?Curious to dig deeper? Check out Daniel Kahneman & Amos Tversky’s classic work on loss aversion link, or Solomon Asch’s conformity experiments link.
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5. Feedback Loops & Course-Correction
What if the real secret to growth isn’t more effort, but smarter feedback loops? In this episode, we unpack how timing shapes learning, why “too much” or “too little” feedback can backfire, and how to build flexible systems that keep you improving even when life gets messy. From neuroscience insights to the After-Action Review method, you’ll discover practical ways to turn surprises into data, not failures.So here’s the question: what would change if every unexpected outcome became a signal to redesign your system instead of a reason to give up?
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20:09
4. Leverage Points: Why Most Change Efforts Fail
Have you ever noticed how some tiny changes create massive ripple effects while enormous efforts barely move the needle?In this episode, I explore Donella Meadows' framework of leverage points - those hidden places in systems where small shifts create massive change. As a Senior UX Researcher and service designer, I keep seeing this pattern: we pour resources into visible improvements (new processes, dashboards, tools) while the real drivers of change - paradigms and mental models - remain untouched.I'll share real examples of transformations that worked (and failed), from startups that changed their culture with one simple shift to Barcelona's superblocks that are redefining what streets are for. We'll explore why we instinctively intervene at the least effective points in systems and how to find those invisible levers that everyone else is missing.
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3. The Journey Mapping Framework - The Missing Layer
Why do we struggle with routines even when we know what to do? In this episode, Daniel shares a personal discovery that transformed his approach to journey mapping. While mapping his chaotic morning routine, he uncovered a third, invisible layer that most journey maps miss: cognitive load.Learn how 50+ micro-decisions before 7 AM were sabotaging his mornings, why companies miss this crucial layer in employee experiences, and how to map what's actually happening in your brain. This isn't about perfect morning routines - it's about understanding the hidden architecture of your daily experiences.
What if design could transform more than just products, what if it could transform people life? Starting September 2025, Behave and Design explores this question twice weekly. Host Daniel Irala blends behavioral design, service thinking, and co-creation methodologies to help you see challenges differently, find clarity in confusion, and unlock new possibilities. Mondays start your week with fresh energy; Thursdays maintain your momentum. Join our community and discover how design can be your pathway to personal and professional growth. Subscribe and get ready for September!
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