why do it? how counterintuitive questions can make all the difference to your health with michael v....

WHYWHY DO IT?HOW COUNTERINTUITIVE QUESTIONS CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE TO YOUR HEALTH

Michael V. Pantalon, Ph.D.Mo tiva tio n Exp e rt, www. m icha e lp a nta lo n. c o m

www.michaelpantalon.com

Why is it so hard to motivate ourselves or others? We are too LOGICAL about it…

I have to change! Just do it. Here’s how to do it. Why don’t I do it? Think of what will happen if you don’t do it. etc.


So what’s a better approach?ILLOGICAL questions?...


YES!


…Motivational Interviewing


Better yet…

Ultra-Brief Motivational Interviewing


MI Theory


“Where there’s a will,…


…there’s a way.”


“You can lead a horse to water,…


…but you can’t make him drink,…

…but you can…


…salt the oats!”


Who do people listen to best?


Themselves

MI is “salting the oats” by changing the way we talk about motivation.


What is Ultra-Brief MI?

Or, what I call, “Instant Influence”, is a RADICALLY different way of talking to people (including yourself) to q uic kly motivate changes in behavior.*

*An evidence-based adaptation of motivational interviewing (Miller & Rollnick, 2002)


How do I begin?

Select your target for change (only 1)

Follow the “Dead-Man’s Rule”


The “Dead Man’s Rule”


Never pick a next step that a dead man can do, like… No t smoke No t eat unhealthy foods No t gain weight

The ta rg e t s ho uld be …

An ACTION (vs. inaction) The NEXT thing to do in the change process

(vs. the last)


The 3 Steps of Instant Influence

STEP 1: Acknowledge Autonomy

STEP 2: Ask Counterintuitive, “Positive-Why” Questions

STEP 3: Reflect (reiterate) only the reasons for change


STEP 1

Acknowledge Autonomy (freedom-of-choice)


“You do know that you don’t HAVE to do this, right?

“You do know that it’s YOUR choice, don’t you?”


Reverse Psychology DOES work


But, it’s NOT a trick!


STEP 2

Ask Counterintuitive, “Positive-Why” questions



“+Why” Questions are what REALLY motivate resistant people.

Reasons WHY = Motives = Motivation


Ask, WHY…

…about something POSITIVE… Eating healthier Exercising more Meditating


…versus about something NEGATIVE NOT eating healthier (or eating poorly) NOT exercising more (or abandoning one’s

regimen) NOT meditating (or distracting from pain)



“Why do it?”

Now, that’s a…


But, NOT sarcastically


“Why might I change?”…or “Why might I do _____?”


The “Bottom-Line” of Ins ta nt Influe nc e …

MY change – MY reasonsSomeone else’s change – THEIR reasons


“How ready are you to change?”



“Why didn’t you pick a LOWER number?”

Other +WHY Questions

“Why haven’t you given up on this goal?”

“Why haven’t you let things get worse?”


If a “1” is selected on the scale, either… Change the target behavior (make it easier) Ask, “What would it take for your ‘1’ to become a

‘2’?” and then motivate the person to do tha t.



“Imagine you did change, what would be good about that?”


“Why are those benefits important to you?” (5x)


Mirror ONLY the “good stuff.”

(aka “reflective listening”)


Insert image of a mirror here

The 3 Steps of Instant Influence

Acknowledge Autonomy Ask “Positive-Why” Questions (e.g., Why

might you change?; Why not a lower #?) Reflect only the reasons for change


The “Connection Reflection”

Connect the target behavior with the person’s reasons for change in a reflection.

The FORMULA: “So, if you do _______ (target behavior), then you will get ________(the person’s benefits or reasons for change).”


How does it work so quickly?


The Efficacy of Ultra-Brief MI (i.e., Ins ta nt Influe nc e )

05

101520253035404550

Before MI

After MI*


*All differences reached statistical significance


Image: Michal Marcol / FreeDigitalPhotos.net


Image: photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

You can learn more about Ins ta nt Influe nc e at…www.michaelpantalon.com

Em a il m e a t [email protected] a bo ut c o a ching , s p e a king o r a dd itio na l tra ining

Fo llo w, frie nd o r c o nne c t with m e … @ m icha e lp a nta lo n (Twitte r) Micha e l Pa nta lo n PhD (Fa c e bo o k) Micha e l V. Pa nta lo n, Ph. D. (Linke dIn)


why do it? how counterintuitive questions can make all the difference to your health with michael v....

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