Dan Ariely is a researcher on the forefront of behavioral science. He specializes in understanding irrational behavior, for example, why do people take less candy if you give it out for free, than if you charge a penny for all the candy you want? Dan actively works to find ways to change behavior for the better using this knowledge. Dan is a professor of Psychology and Behavioral Economics at Duke University. He’s also the founder of the Center for Advanced Hindsight, which helps companies improve well-being using behavioral science. Dan has also co-founded many companies, including a productivity app called Timeful. I worked with Dan on Timeful, and Google bought the company. Now, some of Timeful’s features, such as “Goals” have been integrated into Google Calendar, impacting what must be hundreds of millions of people. Dan’s numerous TED talks have been viewed nearly 15 million times. He’s the author of three New York Times best-selling books, including Predictably Irrational. He has a new book called Payoff: The Hidden Logic That Shapes Our Motivations. In Dan’s new book, he unlocks the secrets of motivation, whether you’re motivating others, or yourself. Listen to this interview to learn why bonuses can reduce productivity, what is it that people really want from work? How does Dan – who is a self-proclaimed “bad manager” – manage a big lab of talented people? And how can you hack your own motivation using behavioral science research?

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