Hey Rollers,
In the early 1920s, researchers ran an experiment at the Hawthorne Works Factory. Their aim was to see if better lighting would improve worker productivity.
The result? Productivity went up. Pretty obvious, I mean better lighting = better work.
But here’s where it gets interesting: when they dimmed the lights, productivity went up again. (Not so obvious after all)
The real discovery wasn’t about lighting. It was about attention.
The Hawthorne Effect, as it came to be known, shows that people change their behaviour when they know they’re being observed.
You don’t need to be in a factory to see this in action. Think about it:
- The food diary you kept when starting a diet.
- The early weeks of working with a coach who tracked every move.
- Posting workouts on Strava and suddenly pushing harder.
- A performance review (or better yet, a performance PREview) tied to KPIs.
Results spike in these moments, not because of magic techniques, but because we know someone’s watching. Even if that “someone” is just our own data log.
The problem? When the spotlight fades, so often do the behaviours.
So the question becomes: how do you make the Hawthorne Effect a tool, not a trap?
For me, it comes down to understanding that external attention can kickstart change, but internal ownership keeps it alive.
Gamification, coaching and accountability are powerful accelerators. They get us moving, raise our standards, and prove what’s possible. But at some point, the diary, the coach, or the app won’t be looking and that’s when the real work begins.
So, how do you shift from external validation to internal ownership?
👉 Start by tying the behaviour to what you truly value.
Not because you should do it (I’ve spoken about that before), but because it’s aligned with what truly matters to you and the people you care about.
For example:
“I train because I want the energy to keep up with my kids.”
“I prepare before meetings because my team deserves my best, not my scraps.”
“I write because sharing ideas is how I make my mark.”
If you’re struggling to work out what you value, just look at what you spend your time on. You may, or may not, like the answer but it can’t be argued.
The reality is, we’re always giving our attention to something. And what we focus on becomes what we prioritise. That’s how our brains work. If we don’t choose to focus on what matters most, we’ll get caught up in distractions, however well-intended they might be.
The Hawthorne Effect can open the door to better habits, but it’s discipline, commitment, and clarity that help us walk through it consistently.
Until next week.
Keep rolling.
Justin 👊
Take Action in 3 Minutes:
Pick one behaviour you’ve been consistent with mainly because someone (or something) was watching – a coach, an app, a diary, or even Strava.
👉 Now ask yourself: Why does this matter to me when no one else is looking?Write down one intrinsic reason. Something tied to what you truly value.
Then, set a simple reminder (sticky note, phone alarm, calendar ping) that points you back to that reason.
External attention gets you started. Your values keep you going.