Introduction
When people think about behaviour—whether personal, professional, or societal—they often assume that individuals make choices based purely on their values, beliefs, or moral character. This is a fundamental misunderstanding of how human behavior actually works. People do not act in isolation. They act within systems—systems that create incentives, impose constraints, and shape what is easy, difficult, or inevitable.
A person is far less in control of their actions than they would like to believe. Their behavior is dictated by the structures they operate within, whether they realize it or not. If the system rewards dishonesty, expect dishonesty. If the system allows corruption, corruption will arise. If the system punishes honesty, people will learn to lie.
Rather than trying to change human nature, the real question is: how do we design systems that naturally produce the behaviors we want?
How Systems Shape Individual Behavior
If you want to understand why people behave the way they do, do not start by analyzing their personal values. Start by analyzing the rules, incentives, and constraints they are working within.
Consider tax evasion. Most people would agree that paying taxes is important for a functioning society, yet many individuals and businesses engage in some form of tax avoidance. This is not because they are inherently unethical, but because the tax system itself is riddled with loopholes. If a system provides an easy way to avoid taxes, many will take advantage of it. If the system had no loopholes and tax evasion was impossible, no one would do it. The ethical debate would be irrelevant.
The same principle applies to speeding. If you drive on an open road in the countryside, where no cameras are present and no police are in sight, chances are you will ignore the speed limit. Not because you are a reckless person, but because the system allows you to do so without consequence. If all cars were built to detect speed limits and physically could not exceed them, speeding would disappear overnight.
The Common Example: Self-Checkout Systems
Retail stores once relied exclusively on cashiers to process transactions. Theft was present, but relatively low. Then came self-checkout machines, an innovation designed for speed and efficiency. The unintended consequence? Theft skyrocketed.
People who would never consider shoplifting in a traditional store setting suddenly began under-scanning items, selecting cheaper product codes, or even skipping payments entirely. The reason is simple. The system made it easy. Self-checkout removed the human accountability of a cashier and created an environment where dishonesty was more tempting, less risky, and more justifiable.
Instead of blaming customers for being immoral, the real question is: why was the system designed in a way that invited this behavior?
Now stores are scrambling to introduce surveillance measures, employee oversight, and new forms of deterrence. But what if the system had been designed differently from the start? What if it was impossible to steal using self-checkout? The problem would not exist at all.
Relationships Are Systems Too
Most people believe that relationships are about emotions, trust, and communication. While those things matter, what really determines the success of a relationship is the system in which it operates.
Take honesty.
Many people claim they value honesty, but in reality, they only value honesty when it is comfortable. If telling the truth leads to rejection, punishment, or isolation, people will lie by default. Not because they are bad people, but because the system makes lying a rational survival strategy.
For example, imagine a couple where one partner makes a mistake. If they know that admitting the mistake will result in anger, rejection, or the silent treatment, they will likely choose to hide it. The more they hide, the more dishonest the relationship becomes. Eventually, they may start lying about things that do not even matter—because they have learned that honesty is unsafe.
Now, imagine a relationship where mistakes are met with understanding, accountability, and constructive resolution. In this dynamic, people will feel safe telling the truth. The more they tell the truth, the stronger the trust becomes.
A relationship gets the honesty its system creates.
- If people are punished for telling the truth, they will lie.
- If people are rewarded for honesty, they will be honest.
- If people are made to feel safe admitting mistakes, they will not need to hide them.
The dynamic is not about morality. It is about incentives.
Why Politicians Lie
Nowhere is this dynamic more evident than in politics.
People often ask, why do politicians lie? The better question is, why wouldn’t they?
In most political systems, telling the truth can be politically suicidal. If a politician is honest about the trade-offs of a policy, they risk alienating voters. If they admit to past mistakes, their opponents will weaponize it. If they tell people what they do not want to hear, they will lose public support.
Now imagine a system where politicians were legally required to tell the truth. If a leader was caught lying three times during their term, they would be automatically impeached. No hearings, no debates—just immediate removal from office.
In this world, politicians would not need to be lectured on honesty. They would tell the truth by necessity. The system itself would force integrity.
The problem is not that politicians are bad people. The problem is that the system rewards dishonesty. If we want better leadership, we need better rules, not better people.
Workplace Culture is Not About Words, It is About Systems
The corporate world is filled with vague platitudes about workplace culture. Companies claim to value work-life balance, mental health, and employee well-being, yet their actions tell a different story. Employees are overworked, burned out, and feel pressured to prioritize work over their personal lives.
Why? Because the system rewards overwork and punishes balance.
Imagine two employees. One stays late every night, responds to emails at all hours, and is always available. The other works efficiently, leaves on time, and protects their personal boundaries. Who is more likely to be promoted? In most organizations, it is the one who overextends themselves.
Now imagine a company where at 5:00 PM, employees are automatically logged out of their work systems. Emails stop being delivered until the next morning. All communication platforms shut down. In this workplace, work-life balance would not be something managers encourage—it would be inevitable.
Employees do not need speeches about setting boundaries. They need a system that enforces balance by design.
A company gets the culture its systems create.
- If meetings are scheduled with no regard for efficiency, expect wasted time.
- If communication is vague and unclear, expect constant misalignment.
- If employees are rewarded for long hours rather than results, expect exhaustion and disengagement.
Leaders do not need to inspire people to behave better. They need to build better systems that make the right behavior the path of least resistance.
The Path Forward: Reframing the Way We See Human Behavior
The world does not suffer from a lack of good intentions. It suffers from poorly designed systems.
People behave rationally within the environments they are placed in. If you want different behavior, do not appeal to morality—change the environment.
This is true in relationships.
It is true in business.
It is true in society.
Now, think about your own life.
- Where do you see yourself trapped in a system that is reinforcing behaviors you do not want?
- Where have you been blaming others for their actions, without considering how the system itself invites that behavior?
- What small shifts could be made to change the environment rather than trying to change people?
If you truly grasp today’s reading, you are an advanced thinker. Most people waste time debating right and wrong. The real game is designing systems that make right inevitable and wrong impossible.
Work With Me to Redesign Your Life
Most people struggle not because they lack motivation or discipline, but because they are trapped in structures that work against them—whether in their careers, personal lives, or leadership roles. If you’re beginning to see how your environment, incentives, and constraints dictate your outcomes, then you’re in a position to take control.
This is exactly what I help high performers and business leaders do. I don’t focus on motivation—I focus on mechanics.
If you’re serious about moving beyond frustration, wasted effort, and unseen barriers, let’s talk here.
Max. Personal Development Strategist.
