Living the brand.

It’s still highly debated.
But most neuroscientists agree.
Our decisions boil down to three types.
Pavlovian.
Reflexive and automatic behavior.
Like plopping down in front of the TV with a bag of chips.
Habitual.
Complex and learned, but eventually automatic.
Like driving to work.
And goal-directed.
Thoughtful and deliberative.
Like planning a vacation to an exotic locale.
These decisions can work together.
Reinforcing our behavior and advancing our agendas.
Or they can work at odds.
Slowing us down or completely derailing us.
A great brand, personal or organizational, is lived.
Fully and consistently.
All three decision-making modes work together.
The goal-directed informs and trains the habitual.
It also modifies the environment to steer the reflexive.
But most people ignore pavlovian and habitual behaviors.
They think they can craft a strategy, convene a few meetings, and propel a new future.
They wrongly assume that their goal-directed decisions will change behaviors.
How utterly misguided.
Why are there always so many diet books on the bestseller list?
Think about it.