Motivation is Overvalued. Environment Often Matters More. What We Can Learn From Netflix’s Failed Social Strategy.

Motivation is Overvalued. Environment Often Matters More. What We Can Learn From Netflix’s Failed Social Strategy.

Motivation is often seen as the driving force behind success. We believe that if we just have enough motivation, we can accomplish anything. However, when we take a deeper look at how human behavior has been shaped over time, we realize that motivation is often overvalued. In fact, the environment often matters more.

In his book "Guns, Germs, and Steel," anthropologist and biologist Jared Diamond highlights the role of the environment in shaping human behavior. He points out that different continents have different shapes, and this played a significant role in the spread of agriculture. Agriculture spread much faster across Asia and Europe compared to the Americas, all because of the differences in the environment.

This idea is quite insightful because it shows that our personal characteristics can be overpowered by our environment, especially over a long period of time. Our environment acts as an invisible hand that influences our behavior. People who easily stick to good habits often benefit from an environment that makes those behaviors easier, while those who struggle to succeed may be fighting against their environment.

So, what can we do to leverage the power of our environment and achieve our goals? Here are three actionable pieces of advice:

1. Automate good decisions: Make it easier for yourself to make the right choices by automating them. For example, if you want to eat healthier, stock your pantry with nutritious snacks and remove unhealthy options. This way, when you're hungry, you'll naturally reach for the healthier choices without having to rely on motivation alone.

2. Get in the flow: Design your habits to fit into the flow of your current patterns. If you want to exercise more, find a time and place that aligns with your existing routine. If you struggle to find motivation to work out after a long day at work, try waking up a bit earlier and exercising in the morning when you have more energy. By aligning your habits with your natural flow, it becomes easier to stick to them.

3. Subtract the negative influences: We often blame our environment when things go wrong, but we ignore it when we succeed. Take a step back and evaluate the negative influences in your environment. Are there people, habits, or distractions that hinder your progress? Identify them and find ways to eliminate or minimize their impact. Surround yourself with positive influences that support your goals.

Now, let's shift our focus to Netflix and their failed social strategy. Netflix had the idea of creating a social platform where members could share and recommend movies to their friends. They believed that this would create a network effect and make movie suggestions cheaper. However, they failed to realize that movie tastes are incredibly unique, and not everyone wants to reveal all the movies they have viewed.

Netflix's failure can be attributed to two reasons: biases that cloud human judgment and the difficulty of inventing the future. They assumed that their members would love the idea of getting movie recommendations from friends, but they failed to recognize that their friends might have different tastes. Small wins clouded their judgment, and they didn't evaluate the idea on its own merit.

To avoid falling into the same trap as Netflix, here are three more actionable pieces of advice:

1. Temper your pride in ownership: It's essential to separate yourself from your ideas and evaluate them objectively. Just because you came up with an idea doesn't mean it's the best or most feasible one. Be open to criticism and feedback, and consider alternative perspectives.

2. Establish clear objectives: Before embarking on a project or feature, define clear objectives and metrics for success. This will help you stay focused on what truly matters and make it easier to evaluate the project's impact. Don't get caught up in small wins that might not contribute to the bigger picture.

3. Ignore sunk cost: One of the biggest challenges in killing a project or feature is the attachment we develop to it. We often feel like we've invested too much time, effort, or resources to let it go. However, clinging onto something that isn't working only hinders progress. Learn to let go of sunk costs and be open to better ideas and opportunities.

In conclusion, motivation is not the sole determinant of success. The environment we are in plays a significant role in shaping our behavior and outcomes. By automating good decisions, aligning our habits with our natural flow, and subtracting negative influences, we can leverage our environment to achieve our goals. Similarly, by tempering our pride in ownership, establishing clear objectives, and ignoring sunk costs, we can avoid the pitfalls that Netflix fell into. It's not just about motivation, but also about creating an environment that supports and enables our success.