This Post Was Banned

In the new age of diversity, inclusion, and freedom, we're hearing more about banned books. Especially in libraries.

In fact, there are displays in some libraries that say, "These books have been banned."

The effect? It makes us want to read them even more.

A book that's been banned somewhere? Of course, we must see what this is all about.

But therein lies the problem.

When we know that something is banned, our auto-response is to want it. To see what the big deal is. Even if we never would have been interested in the material in the first place.

So, all a master manipulator has to do to get you to look at a book, attend a rally, or take an action, is say that it's been banned.

It's our scarcity mindset at work. And our understandable proclivity towards freedom.

But what if we could harness that auto-response to help us do the things we want to stay motivated with? Like practicing an instrument. Staying in shape. That sort of thing.

Ask someone to forbid you from doing it, and see what happens.