Understanding Retention and the Power of Desire: A Guide to Building Habits and Finding True Fulfillment

Jul 30, 2023

3 min read

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Introduction:
In the rapidly changing landscape of the COVID-19 era, businesses are faced with the challenge of retaining their customers. To achieve this, it is crucial to understand the science of habit-building and the role of desire in shaping our motivations. This article will explore the concepts of retention and desire, highlighting their commonalities and providing actionable advice to improve both areas.

Retention: Moving the Core Inputs
Retention is not an isolated metric but rather an output of various factors such as activation, engagement, and resurrection. Focusing solely on revenue retention may lead to sub-optimal results. Instead, businesses should concentrate on identifying and retaining the marginal audience. By understanding whether users are experiencing real value or temporary value, businesses can tailor their strategies to improve retention.

Desire: The Intellectual Appetite
Desire, unlike needs, is driven by an intellectual appetite for things that we perceive as good, regardless of any physical or instinctual basis. It is a social process, influenced by both internal and external models. Internal models encompass those within our immediate circle, while external models include celebrities and historical figures. Advertisers capitalize on our mimetic nature by showcasing others' desires for a particular product or lifestyle.

Understanding Your Desires
To gain control over our desires, it is essential to identify the models influencing us. By recognizing the system of desire we are enmeshed in, we can take critical distance and evaluate its impact on our lives. It is crucial to differentiate between desires driven by mimetic attraction and those rooted in our authentic selves. Knowing the history of our desires allows us to align our values and aspirations more effectively.

Actionable Advice:

Find Your North Star: Instead of being trapped by other people's systems of desire, define your own guiding principles. Reflect on what truly brings you joy and fulfillment, beyond external expectations or societal pressures.
Dive Deep into Your Past: Understand the origins of your desires by examining your personal history. Identify long-standing desires and differentiate them from fleeting whims. This self-awareness will help you make conscious choices aligned with your authentic self.