For over a decade the Octalysis Framework has been the leading Behavioral Science and Gamification framework in the world. It has been thoroughly researched and vetted by the academic community, and it has impacted the user journeys of billions of people. The power of Octalysis seems evident.

But what is behind this power? What happens in our brain when we feel motivated by Octalysis design? That’s where the explanatory power of neuroscience comes in. I decided to write a book about it: The Neuroscience Behind Octalysis. And today I am releasing a sneak peak of the prologue for this book. It describes how being held up by a rebel army led me on my path to behavioral science mastery. Enjoy!

Prologue

Trapped

I looked up and peered directly into the black gaping muzzle of a rifle. It was massive and dirty. It smelled of oil and fumes. Home made, most likely. The boy holding it was 18 or 19 years old at best. His hands were shaking. Pearls of sweat flowed down from his forehead. My hands were moist. Heart beating in my throat.

It was a hot day in the Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. 20 years of war had ravaged the social fabric of the land, and finally there was a peace agreement between local rebel tribes and the government in Dhaka. But it was a shaky peace and not all groups were convinced that it would hold. It was my job as a Dutch diplomat to help support locals to join hands in the peace process. And here we were. In our car, in the middle of nowhere, face to face with people who clearly still had their weapons and were ready to use them. 

The young rebel and his clan were not motivated by peace. They looked angry. Armed with home made guns, bows, arrows and spears. What drove these boys? Was it money? Pride? Fear? Boredom? Why did they decide to hold me at gunpoint? If I was to survive I needed to know their motivations.

Michael, our driver, was scared. Real scared. He was Bengali, relatively well dressed. He could easily be mistaken for a government stooge. Many government officials had been killed or molested. Our car had odd looking number plates: diplomatic ones with Dhaka markings. The rebels looked at them with visible unease. They started to shout at each other with high pitched, angry voices.

The armed boy returned to face me and again shoved his massive gun through the open window. One sudden move, an accidental twitch or sneeze; it could all be over in a light flash.

Michael whispered that he recognized the markings on the rebel clothing. They were Chakmas, the largest tribal group of the area. Chakmas were seen as enemies and traitors by the government. I directed my driver in what he should say to the rebels; I told him: “Can you tell them we are connected with their leaders and their people? Emphasize that we care about their dreams and fears.  Make sure he knows we are here to help them and help them rebuild their lives.”

Our driver, as always, was eloquent and energetic: “We just met with your King! We are here for the Chakma Tribes! Help us help your people, so that you don’t have to fight any more. We come in peace!”. Suddenly, the group looked less tense.  Michael had found the right tone, more importantly, said the right keywords. King. Chakma Tribe. Peace. At the same time I had shown him some money. It helped put a tiny smile on their faces. The gun was lowered. The spears and bows too. We were allowed to proceed. The nightmare had ended.

The Journey Starts

The bad dream had ended, but a journey had started. The saying goes that whatever does not kill you makes you stronger.  The rebel encounter may not have made me stronger, but it was the moment that truly unleashed my interest in understanding human motivation. The intensity of the situation, the raw display of human emotions, and the life-or-death stakes made me realize the power of motivation. It was not just about understanding why people do what they do, but also about how this understanding could be used to influence behavior and outcomes.

As a behavioral science buff, I have always been fascinated by the workings of the brain. But my interest in neuroscience wasn’t shaped in a lab or a classroom. It was born during a civil war in Bangladesh. It then took its first baby steps while exploring how to prevent environmental destruction in the  jungles of Laos and  working with local human rights groups in Cambodia. It finally matured in the war-torn regions of Afghanistan and Africa. 

Surviving this rebel held up made me realize that if I could understand the motivations of a rebel in a war-torn country, I could apply this knowledge to less life-threatening but equally complex situations. This realization led me to the field of neuroscience. I wanted to delve deeper, to understand the inner workings of the human brain that drive our actions and decisions.

My journey into neuroscience was not just about satisfying my intellectual curiosity. It was about finding practical applications for this knowledge. It was about understanding how to motivate people to choose peace over violence, cooperation over conflict, and understanding over prejudice. It was about learning how to design experiences, systems, and interactions that tap into our innate motivations to drive positive behavior.

During my time as a diplomat, I found myself in the midst of post-conflict reconstruction efforts. I worked with governments, military forces, and local communities, trying to rebuild societies that had been torn apart by war. It was a challenging and often heartbreaking task, but it was also incredibly rewarding. I was helping to rebuild lives, to create a better future for people who had suffered so much. And it is in these places of suffering that the extremes of human motivation can be experienced most intensely.

As I worked, I couldn’t help but wonder: What drives people to act the way they do? Why do some people choose violence, while others choose peace? Why do some people risk their lives for a cause, while others stand by and do nothing? These questions led me to the field of neuroscience, the study of the brain and its impact on behavior.

What lies ahead

This book is the culmination of that journey. It’s an exploration into key concepts in Neuroscience , before we discuss the neuroscience of motivation.

As we venture forth, we will  discover the Octalysis Framework, and delve into its scientific underpinnings. Only through science are we able to establish truth, and neuroscience is at the heart of our search for the truth behind motivation.

But this book is also about practicality:  a guide to designing experiences that engage and motivate people. It’s about understanding the power of motivation and harnessing it to create positive change. 

About real-world applications and tangible examples. revealing how it can be harnessed to craft experiences that captivate and motivate. We will  learn to tap into the potent force of intrinsic motivation, and forge meaningful bonds with those we aim to inspire. 

In the chapters that lie ahead, we will  dissect each of the Octalysis eight core drives, illuminating their workings through real-life scenarios and offering insights that you can put into action. We will  see how these drives come to life in diverse settings, from the playful realm of marketing to the serious spheres of education and workplace motivation.

By the time you turn the final page of this book, you will possess a deep understanding of the neuroscience that fuels motivation, armed with practical tools to design experiences that ignite inspiration and propel positive change.

So, let’s set sail on this voyage of discovery, descending the depths of the human brain and unraveling the enigma of motivation. Get ready to be inspired, enlightened, and empowered with the knowledge and tactics to unleash the full might of human motivation. The adventure begins now.

Stay tuned for the book release later this year!