Quantum Physics of Belief – Thought Energy Manifesting into Events

In the past few weeks, I was writing on how scientific and business research shows that human thoughts and beliefs have an effect on the physical world, with no intermediary action. In other words, thoughts and beliefs directly impact the unfolding of events. There seems to be some confusion among some readers who have asked for clarification on how this occurs. Let me share an overview of what my research is revealing here.

In running a business, even if the business model is well designed and perfectly suited for the market, we would all recognize that success and high profitability are not guaranteed. We realize that there are many elements we can’t completely control, such as the capabilities of the competition, the decisions that customers will make, and the countless choices made by employees each day. It would be impossible for a business to design these elements in a manner that would guarantee success.

My experience tells me that chance is not as random as we believe, and the way to reduce the uncertainty in business is through shaping the beliefs and intentions, or thought energy, of the business organization. When a business organization has a particular, positive thought energy, events are more likely to occur in a manner that is fortuitous for the business. This doesn’t mean that action is not required, because it definitely is. It simply means that the elements that can’t be controlled through action tend to unfold more frequently in favor of the business.

I don’t think it would be possible for anyone to ‘prove’ that an organization’s thought energy directly impacts how events unfold. The important thing to note is that we never even try to architect the unfolding of such events. These kinds of things happen consistently in businesses, which had very positive thought energy.

Did you see the movie Apollo 13? Do you remember Tom Hanks, Ed Harris and Ron Howard who directed the movie from 1995? It was a true story of how NASA got the crippled Apollo 13 space craft back to earth after the oxygen/power supply failed half way through the flight mission. It was a testament to the teamwork, leadership, problem solving and human synergistics.

In that movie, I distinctly remember the Flight Director Eugene Kranz (played by Ed Harris) saying two powerful things: “Failure is NOT anOption.” And “I will not allow that [negative] thought to exist in this space” (even if it was only a thought by a crew member!)

Kranz knew either consciously or subconsciously the power of thought; The power of, how we frame an event and how the framing of the event has a massive impact on the outcome of that event; That a thought in an environment has real power… real impact; Even if it is not verbalized.

Napoleon Hill in his book ‘Think and Grow Rich’ wrote, ‘Thoughts are Real Forces’; as have many other gurus and teachers of metaphysics for hundreds of years. I am quoting scenes from Apollo 13 movie into this blog to illustrate the power of managing group thought and group energy. The words are really about ‘integrity of thought’ or ‘aligned thought’. Kranz had every brain in that NASA teamed, aligned and focused; pushed almost to the limits of human creativity and ingenuity, all focused on getting those 3 astronauts back alive.

What negative thoughts are there in your business you need to clear out?

What plans are all your brains aligned on with the laser like focus of the NASA Apollo 13 mission?

Take a look at the movie clips and ask how you can use that energy and focus in your business.

The economic space and the economic environment we are in right now will either swallow you up or be a time of massive opportunity for all of us.

Harness the thought, energy and focus to make it a massive opportunity.

Failure is NOT an option.

Quantum Physics of Belief - Scarcity is a Limiting Belief

In the past couple of articles, we were exploring how our experiences form based on what we believe about the world. This week, let’s extend that concept to how businesses shape their profits. The accepted model of business in our society is rooted in scarcity, and thus presents a limitation to our experience of profitability. When we recognize this, we can become cognizant of these limiting beliefs and move beyond them.

We all know that in some way, our beliefs create our reality. Before a person or team can achieve something, they have to believe they will. Sure it gives them confidence to perform their best, but science tells us the very form of matter is influenced by our beliefs (see the earlier articles 1: Quantum Physics of Belief – Effects of Universal Consciousness and 2: Quantum Physics of Belief – Keys to Sustainable Success in this series.) In other words, in some way, what we believe is what reality becomes.

It follows that to be profitable, business organizations must believe that profits are abundant and achievable. Businesses operate within a social system and obtain their profits from external sources, so let’s assess how most businesses operate in this larger context and how their practices reveal their beliefs in the scarcity of wealth.

In the book The Science of Getting Rich published in 1910, Wallace D. Wattles wrote that ‎"People must be taught to become rich by creation, not by competition... every person who gets rich by creation opens a way for thousands to follow him/her and inspires them to do so." Now, science validates this and we will see how.

Most business leaders would say that it’s the goal in business to retain or acquire the maximum dollar amount in every business transaction. We would generally say that we are doing the right thing as business leaders when we are able to extract the highest prices from customers and pay the lowest prices to suppliers. But when we engage in business in this competitive manner, without consideration for the financial health of the other party, what does that indicate about our underlying beliefs?

These competitive practices reveal that we believe there is not enough for everyone to win, and therefore we have to make sure we are one of the winners. This demonstrates that we believe profits are not abundant, but rather they are scarce. We can easily recognize this at a personal level: think about when we act competitively versus collaboratively. We act competitively in situations such as playing in sports games where there are multiple players or teams but only one winner. We act competitively when we are a student in a class where only the top 10% will receive grade A. We act competitively when we are working for a company that periodically purges the lower performers. So, we act competitively when we believe that what we are vying for is scarce in that there is not enough for everyone.

In contrast, we act collaboratively when we believe that there is enough for everyone. We act collaboratively when we are engaged in a sport such as mountain climbing, where the goal is for everyone to make it to the top. We act collaboratively when we are a student taking a class in which there is no limit to the number of grade A’s given. And we act collaboratively when we are working for a company that has enough jobs for all employees. So, as a rule, we act competitively when we believe the object of our actions is scarce, and collaboratively when we believe the object of our actions is abundant. Therefore, striving to retain the maximum dollar amount in each business transaction, without regard to the other party, indicates a belief in the scarcity of wealth, which creates the condition of lower profitability.

Observe the belief systems that are prevalent in your business. Are they rooted in abundance or scarcity? Observe how your beliefs correspond to your reality and understand that the science proves that your beliefs came first and led to your experience. This understanding is the first step to creating greater abundance for your business.

The belief in abundance versus scarcity is relevant for any action in which money changes hands. This includes negotiation practices, employee compensation philosophies, and the degree to which competition is considered a threat. An organization’s belief about abundance is revealed to the extent they seek to protect their own interests more than the other party’s. If we truly believe in abundance, there is no reason to be concerned about personal protection at the expense of someone else. We know there is enough for everyone.

Physics experimentation shows us there is no fixed amount of wealth. Our consciousness is determining what we experience, so there is as much as we believe there is. Underlying this is a profound reality: there is no limit to the abundance that exists in the world, except for the limits that exist in our minds. As such, we can learn to be better at choosing how we perceive the world.

Science has proven that we are "wired to cooperate." Indeed, it is how we have survived as a species. It is probably true, that our future survival is also rooted in this principle. You wouldn't know it by looking at the condition of the world. How would the world be different if, instead of competing with one another on a daily basis, we actually sought to cooperate? Maybe too utopian, maybe a naive thought (I am about as competitive a person as you will ever meet) but a wonderful hope for the world. I am finding that as I apply the Axiogenic principles, I now compete to cooperate. It sounds weird, I know, but I am applying the same emotional energy to a different goal. It is quite satisfying.

Can you imagine if politicians competed to cooperate? And, wow! What a novel thought that would be? I believe that most politicians are good folks, who initially intend to do the best they can within their belief system. Not all, but most. The system corrupts them. Unfortunately, we are the system. Imagine if we were all focused on value, but all actually knew how to evaluate "value" effectively. What a different world it would be.

Quantum Physics of Belief - Keys to Sustainable Success

Last week, I started writing about using quantum physics and business research to explore the correlation between the science of consciousness and patterns in the business world, to develop theories about the effects of Universal consciousness. In that article, we explored how our experiences are formed based on what we believe about the world.

In most businesses these days, the leaders are trying to make significant improvements in order to move to the next level of success. Most leaders believe the way to accomplish this is by changing the business at the level of action, or form.  What that means is that the business leaders engage in process improvement, cost cutting and pricing optimization; to name just a few examples. Or they try to get employees more motivated so they’ll work harder. They are trying to drive success through action.

What is wrong with that, you might ask? Depends on one’s perspective; it might work in some cases. But, I believe that a successful turnaround will never result from action alone. As I have discovered through science, changing the success of a business, or any organization, must start with changing the consciousness of the people in the organization. Let’s look at the science behind one of these elements of consciousness: beliefs.

First, let’s consider the nature of matter. As I learned physics thru my graduate studies, I have found that Einstein’s special theory of relativity, E=MC², is key. Like many of you, I have known of this equation for years, but I never fully considered its profound implications. Literally it means that all matter is a form of energy, not a substance. The fact that matter is fundamentally energy means that objects are not static, but rather are dynamic and changeable. Furthermore, experimentation at the sub-atomic level has revealed that human beliefs influence how matter manifests. See my earlier article on the physics of belief for a detailed description of the classic Double Slit experiment and its implications.

We conventionally believe that the physical world operates objectively and is not influenced by us unless we take some physical action. We think our beliefs are formed based on how we experience the world. This scientific research tells us quite the opposite: our experience is formed based on what we believe about the world. We can use this knowledge to increase the likelihood that matter, and therefore events (which are interactions of matter) will unfold more frequently in the form that we prefer. That was what we discussed last week and now let’s see what it means in terms of practical implications.

The implications of the science are that trying to change business outcomes by changing physical action will never get us the results we desire. No matter how good we get at optimizing processes, motivating employees or pricing our products, these things will never be sufficient to achieve the outcome we desire. We must first shape the beliefs, or consciousness, of our business. It’s only when your business has a winning consciousness that events will unfold in the form of success.

So, if your business doesn’t have a recent history of success, how do you get people to believe it is successful? An obvious answer is to show that success of the business is imminent. Research shows that a message about a positive future will become strong belief when it contains certain elements.

First, the message must capture peoples’ attention and evoke their intentions.  People are inundated with data and input of all kinds, so it takes something special to get their attention. Blanketing people with more information, statistics and facts will not get their attention and influence their beliefs. Their emotions must be stimulated. In an earlier article, I discussed about a research showing that intentions do not always lead to behavior change in obtaining the desired results. This gap between what people intend to do and their behavior has been called the “intention-behavior gap” – where it was identified that emotion is the missing link in modifying behavior.

Secondly, those emotions have to be positive. Negative emotions, such as those rooted in fear, will just cause association with other negative thoughts and will never lead to positive beliefs about business success. Emotions are most easily evoked through images conjured up through vivid story telling. People think in terms of stories filled with images and feelings, so that’s the best way to influence the mind. Also, everyone has some degree of ‘show me’ in them, so they need some supporting evidence for the story through a real-life example that is credible.

Finally, people will only feel compelled to buy into a story when they see that it includes them, so they need to be shown how they are part of it.

Business research proves the power of organizational consciousness. We all accept the fact that a strong business culture is a pre-requisite for success. What we don’t understand is that there are elements of culture that influence matter itself, without the intermediary of action.  When a business has a winning culture, customers are naturally drawn to it, employees will increasingly make the right decisions, and proper solutions arise when needed.

Businesses that lack strong beliefs in success are energetically dead and will simply not make it in the long run. You will never be able to shift a business into success through action alone. We must first shape the beliefs, or consciousness, of our business. Positive beliefs coupled with strong emotions then stimulate the positive behavior change leading to sustainable business success practices. Business research confirms this and science provides the foundation.

Quantum Physics of Belief – Effects of Universal Consciousness

As promised, the next few weeks, I am going to use quantum physics and business research to explore the correlation between the science of consciousness and patterns in the business world, to suggest innovative ways of using this wisdom to lead and succeed in a business environment that is constantly evolving at a rapid pace. [I hope you will stay tuned to these series of articles and provide any feedback via email or in the comments section below on this blog. I’d greatly appreciate your comments / suggestions and your experiences with any of this.]

The role of physics has always been to teach us how this physical world works. We now know our conventional understanding is not the whole story. It seems the very word “physics” takes us in the wrong direction, as it implies physical as opposed to the realm of the mind (and spirit, by extension). But, I hope, by the end of this series (it will take a few months to cover all the areas that I have researched so far); you will understand that the two realms cannot be separated.

Let’s first, consider the nature of matter. As I studied physics thru my graduate courses, I have learned that Einstein’s special theory of relativity, E=MC², is key to understanding the nature of this world. Like many of you, I have known of this equation for years, but never fully considered its profound implications. Literally it means that all matter is a form of energy, not a substance. The fact that matter is fundamentally energy means that objects are not static, but rather are dynamic and changeable. Furthermore, experimentation at the sub-atomic level has revealed that human beliefs influence how matter manifests.

Here is a classic physics experiment: The Double Slit Experiment shows us that the form of matter follows what we believe about the matter. The experiment streams a bunch of photons into two boxes, and then they come out of slits on the other side of the boxes to project a pattern onto a screen. Here is the interesting part: if an observer is expecting to see waves and so looks at the pattern on the screen, the observer sees the waves and the pattern persists, but if the observer expects to see particles and looks in one of the boxes, the observer will find particles in the box. In other words, the observer’s expectations, or beliefs, determine whether the photon is a wave or a particle. This same concept extends into the world of larger objects.

The book Quantum Enigma (Physics Encounters Consciousness) written by Profs Bruce Rosenblum and Fred Kuttner of the University of California in Santa Cruz in 2006 offers credible information to show that there is no avoiding the fact that our consciousness has a physical effect on our world. This means that the events occurring external to us are being influenced by the contents of our thoughts and beliefs. Let’s look at how this phenomenon shows itself in the real world.

Intention is a projection of awareness toward a particular result with the belief that the outcome can be influenced. Scientific experimentation has overwhelmingly proven that human intentions significantly influence events so that they are more likely to occur in the direction of the intentions. Some of the most prominent experiments have shown that human intentions have the ability to alter the output of a REG, Random Event Generator machine.

REG machines generate a random sequence of heads and tails, and without the interference of intentions, they produce roughly fifty percent heads and fifty percent tails. Experiments have proven that humans can “will” the machines to create more heads (or tails) impulses by focusing their thoughts on the machine’s output. These REG experiments have been extensively carried out, using rigorous scientific study methods, and have included thousands of participants and millions of trials. The odds of the results occurring by chance are less than one in a billion, and the U.S. National Research Council has verified the results. Other experiments have provided solid evidence that groups can change the pH (acidity) level of bodies of water and biological systems in insects through specific intentions.

Before quantum physics, people knew that human beings were conscious. We knew that animals were conscious. Some of the ancient traditions, particularly some of the Hindu traditions, or the Vedic traditions of ancient Indian origin, speak in terms of everything being conscious. They speak about consciousness pervading everything. But, in this twenty first century and with quantum physics, we begin to see what might be called a new role for consciousness - something that we know happens, but remained inexplicable until we began to realize that what we were talking about was the action of consciousness.

What is a fundamental act of consciousness? It's an action in which something is perceived. Now, in ordinary physics, or in ordinary physiology, or in most of the classical realms of science, perception is something which is taken to be outside the realm of physicality. In other words, if you perceive something, you know that you see something. Light will strike your retina; you'll get an idea, or something will pop off in your brain, or something of that sort. But we never got the notion that somehow the act of seeing something was affecting what you were seeing or what you were looking at. But, in quantum physics, we have learned that when you are looking at very small objects, subatomic particles for example, the very action of looking at them disturbs them to such an extent that we never really get a complete picture as to what they actually are. Now, this has led me to think that consciousness may be at the core of this problem as to how perception can affect and change reality, and that maybe what we are doing when we are thinking or feeling or sensing or even listening to a conversation is using this action of consciousness, this fundamental act, which sort of what flips the switch - that suddenly alters the physical reality of, the human being.

Several theoretical studies provide an explanation of how our belief systems are impacting our experience of reality. String Theory says that all matter and energy is composed of oscillating strings, and it hypothesizes that there are at least ten spatial dimensions. The Many Worlds Theory proposes that these dimensions translate into parallel states of reality that simultaneously exists with what we perceive as our current reality, and a person’s belief system largely determines which single sequence of events they experience. These theories are work in progress, but they are at least the beginnings of an explanation.

Before you write off parallel universes as nonsense, consider the following. Multiple parallel realities would seem to imply that there are multiple versions of our physical world, and that doesn’t match our experience. However, remember that science says the physical world is fundamentally energy, so the existence of parallel universes doesn’t imply the duplication of substance, but rather implies that there are multiple fields of energy. Plus, it sounds like nonsense to say that we exist in multiple realities, whereas in our day-to-day reality, we experience that there is only one sequence of events occurring. The Many Worlds Theory explains this by saying that our brains are designed to perceive only one thread of experience through the parallel realities. This, in my opinion, brings parallel realities into the realm of reason.

Now, let’s talk about some practical implications. In science, our life experience is similar to a video game, where we are choosing which path through the game we are going to experience. Instead of making that choice through actions and selections on a video game console, we are making it based on our beliefs or our experiences. Let me illustrate with a real world example of a friend of mine.

Sandra is a wife and mother of three children, and they once lived in Chicago for several years. When Sandra tells stories about her experience in Chicago, they are all positive accounts about how she met the nicest and most helpful people. One of her favorite stories is about a time when she stepped off the EL (the elevated train; apologies to those who are not familiar with the Chicago Transit system) with some heavy packages and a strange young man offered to carry them home for her. She didn’t hesitate to accept his offer of help, and he did indeed carry the packages to her front door.

Sandra’s family gapes at her in disbelief when she tells these stories of a “friendly” Chicago, because they had an entirely different experience, and they never would have given their packages to a strange young man. Sandra walked the same streets and rode the same ELs as the rest of her family, yet she had an entirely different experience.

Sandra drew different experiences into her reality. She didn’t do anything different than the rest of her family, and she didn’t just put a positive façade on negative experiences. She went to the same places as the rest of her family, yet she encountered friendly and helpful people, whereas her family encountered rude and harmful people. Sandra was not just luckier than the rest of her family, but rather her beliefs and intentions brought her different experiences.

We conventionally believe that the physical world operates objectively and is not influenced by us unless we take some physical action. We think our beliefs are formed based on how we experience the world. This scientific research tells us quite the opposite: our experience is formed based on what we believe about the world. We can use this knowledge to increase the likelihood that matter, and therefore events (which are interactions of matter) will unfold more frequently in the form that we prefer.

[You may be wondering at this point what this has all got to do with any business environment. However, I need to lay down the fundamentals and set the stage to explore the correlation between the science of consciousness and patterns in the business world. In this article, having explored how our experiences are formed based on what we believe about the world; I’ll write more next week on turning around business practices using quantum physics of beliefs. See you next week…]

Is Your Best Yet To Come in 2012!?

Have you spent any time thinking about the future, in say 2012? Your future?

Sometimes the demands placed upon us daily take up so much of our time; it's hard to find even a moment to consider the future.

But whether you are ready, or not... 2012 is coming... and fast.

And you are the one who is charged with determining exactly what that future will look like for you.

You live in a fast-paced culture in which everything is in motion. And there are no signs of turning back. Standing still doesn't work, either. At least, not for very long.

So how do we make sure that our rapidly-accelerating lives don't pass us by like a furious flash of un-fulfilling nothingness?

I'd like to suggest some tips that can help, but before you read on, I want you to recognize and remember this...

Your current results or circumstances (that you faced in 2011) are in no way a reflection of what is possible for you in the future.

Your potential is unlimited. And the thoughts, ideas, and plans that you focus upon from this day forward will ultimately shape and direct your future.

Here are some ideas to consider...

1) Stop- First, you need to pause... kind of like how you'd approach a "STOP" sign at an intersection. A brief stop, long enough to look in each direction before proceeding. While paused, take a moment to consider WHAT is MOST IMPORTANT to you at this point in your life. Is it your family? Your career? Your relationships? What brings you joy? What are you so passionate about?

2) Consider some Editing- Then, take a moment to consider, what are some things that DO NOT bring you joy? How could you begin to "edit" them out of your day? Maybe there are some activities or behaviors that are not supporting the vision you have of your highest self? Maybe there are some relationships that you need to extricate yourself from?

3) Commit to Carving- Now think about HOW would you spend more time, TODAY and TOMORROW, doing more of what it is that you want to do? Don't worry about next week or next month. Just consider today, YES! Starting today. No need for any New Year resolutions. Figure out how to carve out a small segment in the next 24 hours. Maybe you could wake up 30 minutes earlier in the morning? Or perhaps go to bed 30 minutes later tonight?

Small, incremental commitments of time, directed toward doing what makes you happy, will have a beneficial effect in all areas of your life. Spending time in this frame of mind will become a habit that will replace older, out-dated, less productive habits.

But you have to get started. You need to actively and intentionally plan the way you want your future to look, in 2012. If you passively stand by, you can be sure that your tomorrow, next week, next month, and 2012 will just become a more distressed and less fulfilling version of the past.

You have the opportunity to shape your future. I don't know exactly what you are facing or what you are going through, but I do know that if you will work at it, and take an active role in determining how it will unfold, certainly, your best is yet to come!

Be creative, as 2012 unwinds in just a few more days!

Happy New Year, 2012.

How to Succeed Courageously

Hundreds and maybe thousands of books and articles have been written on what it takes to succeed in life. I’d think that it is not as complicated as most people make it. As the year is coming to an end in a few more days, here is my list on how to succeed in life. Take what is best for you and leave the rest.

1. We are in this together! I can’t think of a single “success story” that has a cast of only one. There are always multiple players involved. Each of us brings talents, skills, abilities and contributions to the outcome. Focus on what you do best—know your strengths—and surround yourself with those that are strong where you are not. It takes guts to own your challenges and is a sure sign of a winner to seek out those that bring other talents to the team… be courageous.

2. Actions First… Feelings Follow! If you feel that you are not where you want to be today, take action. Tomorrow will be no different from today if you do the same things you have always done. That old classic definition of insanity comes to mind here: doing the same thing over and over, yet expecting different results. Change happens TO you, transformation happens WITHIN. You may not feel like trying something different, do it anyway… your feelings will follow.

3. You are what you think! Remember those signs in your elementary school hallways: “You are what you eat”? I say, “You are what you THINK”. It’s true that thoughts become things and that whatever you think about most is what is most present in your life. Henry Ford was right when he said, “Whether you think you can or can’t, you are right.” Think you can, ALWAYS!

4. It’s all on you! Your life really is yours! You get to make all the choices, you get to choose the cast of characters and you get to write your ‘book’. Just like all stories, though… there will be an end. What’s important in life is not just the journey, but the quality of the journey. That’s why it’s important to make every day the best it can be, because this moment is all any of us can really count on.

5. Be true to you! Take time for yourself every day—even if only a few minutes (10-30) to honor you and show yourself the “love”. For you, maybe its meditation, maybe its physical activity like working out, maybe it’s reading a book or taking a bubble bath. Whatever the choice for you, do it! You must recharge your battery, or you’ll have nothing left to give. You can’t run on caffeine, little to no sleep and sheer determination for long.

6. Back up and Re-group! If you hit a wall, find another way to make it work. There is always more than one way to achieve something. Quitting never wins… perseverance will. Whatever the *it* is for you, stick with it. You may get an outcome other than what you expected, however don’t look at that as failure. You have most definitely learned something and that is a tremendous gift. Remove the word “failure” from your vocabulary… it’s not failure… only feedback. Learn from it! Then try, try again; another way!

7. You’ll pick up what you are putting down! You always get back what you put out there. If you want help, serve others. If you want open and honest relationships, guess what! You have to be a model of openness and honesty. If you want acceptance, then you must accept others. The real power in this ‘law’ is just like Zig Ziglar said, “You can only get what you want if you help enough other people get what they want.”

Choose to live life to the fullest every moment. Choose to surround yourself with those that compliment you and give you positive energy. Choose to keep at it no matter the challenges. Choose to treat yourself with kindness and love. Choose to take action even when you initially don’t feel like it. Choose your thoughts wisely, as thoughts become things. Choose to put out there what you want back and choose to live, laugh and love in every moment.

What say you, fellow leaders, what are your keys to courageous success?

How to Change Things When Change is Hard

Why is it so hard to make lasting changes in our companies, in our communities, in our own lives?

The primary obstacle is a conflict that's built into our brains. Psychologists have discovered that our minds are ruled by two different systems - the rational (conscious) mind and the emotional (subconscious) mind - that compete for control. The rational mind wants a great beach body; the emotional mind wants that Oreo cookie. The rational mind wants to change something at work; the emotional mind loves the comfort of the existing routine. The tension can doom a change effort - but if it is overcome, change can come quickly.

Here is a compelling metaphor to explain the tension between our rational mind and our emotional mind. Visualize a person riding atop a large elephant. They say that our rational side is the Rider and our emotional side is the Elephant. Perched atop the Elephant, the Rider holds the reigns and seems to be the leader. But the rider's control is precarious because the Rider is so small relative to the Elephant. Anytime the six-ton Elephant and the Rider disagree about which direction to go, the Rider is going to lose. He's completely overmatched.

If you want to change things, you have got to appeal to both the Rider and the Elephant. The Rider provides the planning and direction and the Elephant provides the energy. So if you reach the Riders of your team but not the Elephants, team members will have understanding without motivation. If you reach the Elephants but not their Riders, they'll have passion without direction. In both cases, the flaws can be paralyzing. A reluctant Elephant and a wheel-spinning Rider can both ensure that nothing changes. But when Elephants and Riders move together, change can come easily.

Here is a basic three-part framework that can guide you in any situation where you need to change behavior. In any change situation you need to:

1. 1.    Direct the Rider. What looks like resistance is often a lack of clarity. So provide crystal-clear direction.
2. 2.    Motivate the Elephant. What looks like laziness is often exhaustion. The Rider can't get his way by force for very long. So it's critical that you engage people's emotional side - get their Elephants on the path and cooperative.
3. 3.    Shape the Path. What looks like a people problem is often a situational problem. We call the situation (including the surrounding environment) the "Path." When you shape the Path, you make change more likely, no matter what is happening with the Rider and the Elephant.

I don't promise that making change is easy, but at least it can be made easier. My goal is to teach you a framework, based on decades of scientific research, that is simple enough to remember and flexible enough to use in many different situations - family, work, community and otherwise. To change behavior, you have got to direct the Rider, motivate the Elephant and shape the Path. If you can do all three at once, dramatic change can happen even if you don't have lots of power or resources behind you.

Successful changes follow a pattern, a pattern you can use to make the changes that matter to you, whether your interest is in changing the world or changing your waistline.