We’ve all been told the formula: set a goal, write it down, stay disciplined, reap the rewards.
Simple.
But if you’ve ever promised yourself you’d eat healthier or exercise more, you know how easy it is for goal-setting to backfire. It feels exciting at first, but quickly becomes a battle against your own brain. The same thing could happen when you set goals for your business.
The problem isn’t you. The problem is that most goal-setting methods ignore how the brain actually works.
Why Change Feels So Hard
Owen Fitzpatrick, a psychologist and expert in the neuroscience of change, explains that our brains are wired to resist change. Even when we want something different, the brain defaults to what’s familiar, easy, and rewarding in the moment.
That’s why telling yourself, “I need to get healthier so I don’t end up in the hospital someday,” rarely works. The brain doesn’t care about “someday.” It cares about now. Right now, the cake tastes good. Right now, the couch feels comfortable. Future benefits don’t compete with present dopamine.
Four Neural Habits That Make Change Stick
Instead of working against the brain, Owen teaches us to work with it. Here are four of the neural habits he uses to help people make lasting changes:
- Make it easier. Remove friction wherever possible. If the change feels too hard, your brain will rebel.
- Make it new. Our brains crave novelty. Reframe your habit so it feels fresh or different.
- Make it matter now. Tie the change to something that impacts your identity or values. For example,you could promise yourself only two bites of cake. Not because of “someday” health goals, but because you who keep your word, even to yourelf.
- Make it dramatic. Add stakes or excitement. Whether it’s a challenge app that turns your walk into a trek across Norway, or a friendly competition that taps your natural impatience, drama fuels dopamine and keeps you engaged.
Turning Learning Into Lasting Change
This is why most training events or workshops fail to spark lasting transformation: they overload you with information but don’t align with the way your brain actually adopts new habits.
Excitement fades, and old patterns return.
We must design goals and systems that fit our brain’s neurochemistry. Learning to tap into habits like novelty, immediacy, and drama sets us up to actually apply what we’ve learned long after the event is over.
From Resistance to Results
If you’ve ever felt stuck in the cycle of setting goals and breaking them, the problem isn’t a lack of willpower. It’s that there’s a mismatch between traditional goal-setting and the way the brain works.
At The Reflect, Owen Fitzpatrick will show you how to harness neuroscience to work with your brain, not against it. If you’re ready to stop fighting resistance and start making changes that last, this is a session you can’t afford to miss.