Why is Charlie Sheen an Actor?

Why Do We Do What We Do?Albert Einstein

“Fear or stupidity has always been the basis of most human action.”

Basis of Human Action and Decision Making? Beliefs Act out your beliefs Desires Pursue your desires Instinct Succumb to instinct

BeliefsYou act out what you believe? I believe the world is a dangerous

place. I believe people should______. I am skeptical of all claims. An “ideal” manager does ______. The best investment philosophy

is___.

BeliefsFilters and Reinforcements

Question Beliefs & Values Ethics change over time

Dad’s world view

What Do We Know? Should we have a revolutionary war? Should non-landowners be able to vote? Should we free the slaves? Should former slaves be able to vote? Should women be able to vote? Should we enact worker dignity laws? Should we enter WWII? Is rock and roll the devil’s music? Were McCarthy’s Communist hearings a good idea? Should divorced people be treated with disgrace? Should we pass the Civil Rights Act? Was the Vietnam war a good idea? END

Desires Cialdini knows where our desires

come from Are we honest about our desires?

Mark Cuban and flattery Desire to feel good Desire to feel safe

I have to scare you first. First I create the disease – then I

create the cure.

Living by Instinct“Nature, Mr. Allnut, is what we are put in this world to rise above”

Rose Thayer (Katherine Hepburn) The African Queen

Human Animals – Instinct…...................Real Human Beings – Free Will Wealth/Greed................................... Altruism and charity Seek security at all cost....................Get out of your comfort zone Preserve status quo..........................Change Meeting society’s expectations...........Be authentic to yourself

(following the herd).......................... (think for yourself) Traditional gender roles.................... Equality of the sexes Tribalism (nationalism)..................... Multi-culturalism Praise authority................................ Question authority Praise and follow the leader.............. I don’t need a leader Consistency is safe............................Strive for improvement Guided by personal experience...........Critical thinking Freewill???........................................Free Will!!!!! Surviving........................................Living

Basis of Human Action and Decision Making? Beliefs, Desires & Instinct You do what you feel obligated to

do. You do what is the easiest. You do what makes you feel safe. You do what you’ve always done.

You Might Be Exercising Free Will If….. You change a core belief. You get outside your comfort zone. You admit you were wrong about

something important. You increase your self-awareness. You do something you wouldn’t do.

What if I like what I do?

Requirements of Free Will1. Awareness of choices and real

consequences2. Self-awareness3. Philosophy and goals4. A proactive mindset5. Free of coercion or undue influence

1. Awareness of Choices and Real Consequences If you choose one of 10 known

options when there are, in fact, more than 100 options, have you really exercised free will?

Junkfinger Test Tattoos Traffic tickets Brushes with the law Being sick Promptness Pets Smoking

If You Don’t Want to Fall in the Grand Canyon--Don’t Go to Arizona

What I do today affects what happens

tomorrow.

Junkfinger TestIn the Business World

Inconsistency Excuses Making enemies at work Always talking, never listening Accept things as they are Acting uninterested – not engaged Lose credibility

Goldfinger Behavior and attitude that put

you in a position for good things to happen:

1. ?2. ?3. ?4. ?5. ?

Most people end up where their behavior indicates they want to be.

2. Self-awarenessMetacognition

“The truth will set you free {John 8:32}…… but first it will piss you off.”

Werner Erhard, founder, est Training

“The greatest of all faults, I should say, is to be conscious of none.”

Thomas Carlyle (1795 – 1881) Scottish writer

3. Philosophy and Goals Life philosophies down 50%

Man may be wired for meaning

“Consider first the end.” Leonardo da Vinci

No Philosophy?A lifestyle is not the same as a life.

“Consumerism is a desperate substitute for

living. Consumer bliss has the effect of diverting

people’s attention away from the community

to the self.”--Vaclav Havel

Czech playwright and political leader

Selling Excess Consumerism

Selling Excess Consumerism

destroy self-esteem

40%

lie20%

sexual reference

40%

Selling Consumerism Advertising executive speaking on

the great challenge of his business today:

“Consumers are like cockroaches – you spray them and spray them and eventually they build immunity.”

4. A Proactive Mindset “The best way to forecast your future is

to make it happen.”

Bias for action (discussed later)

5. The CRAMPERSFree of coercion or undue influence

C Culture (gives context)

R Religion A Advertising/Mass Marketing M Media P Parents E Education R Relationships (who you know)

AdvertisingCRAMPER example: Your desire: hunger – their solution

–Big Mac w/bacon or Combos

Prey on insecurity, and promise happiness and security through consumption

CRAMPERS CRAMPERS set the serving size.

Media’s goal is to entertain not inform.

Machiavelli's real message: People want to be led and told what to do.

Monster.com problems.

Basis of Human Action and Decision Making? “He who joyfully marches in rank

and file has already earned my contempt. He has been given a large brain by mistake, since for him the spinal cord would suffice.”

--Albert Einstein

Student’s Thoughts on Free Will: “When you grow up in the heartland–using free

will doesn’t look like such a good idea. I think back to junior high and high school and the only kids to use freewill were criticized and even punished.”

“I was scolded hard for doing anything or even thinking about anything that society or my parents said was not the norm.”

“As a kid growing up in Oklahoma, I was always taught that curiosity killed the cat.”

“… my rebellious nature, which I blame on my parents’ unwavering need for me to conform to society’s norms.”

Free Will Applications

Awareness keeps your brain on track Question your beliefs and assumptions Be honest about your desires

Struggle to exercise free will Lifelong learning Put yourself in positions for good things to happen Set goals and make things happen Be aware of CRAMPERS CRAMP others in a positive manner