The "Two Lenses" Secret to Every Problem

The problem that bubbles up when we start trying to the change he world: many people conflate the effort they’ve made with the actual measurable impact they’ve had.

It often sounds like this: “I’ve attended events, posted on Facebook, written blog posts, made banners for protests, and worn T-shirts to support the cause. I even talk about it with everyone I know.” These are admirable actions, but let’s be clear: effort does not equal results.

When it comes to changing the world, the only thing that truly matters is making an impact that is measurable in real-world numbers.

The critical question to ask yourself is:
Where is the evidence that your efforts have made a measurable result?

The Problem with Ineffective Action

Through two decades of working on environmental change and diving deep into behavioral psychology, I’ve seen the same missteps repeated over and over. Too many projects fail to ask the most basic questions:

• What data tells us about the scope of the problem?
• What human behaviors need to change to solve it?

This realization led me to develop what I call the Two Lenses Approach to social change.

What Are the Two Lenses?

The Two Lenses Approach is built on two fundamental principles:

1. Measurement: Your problem must be understood through the lens of data.
2. Behavioral Psychology: Your solution must be designed through the lens of human behavior.

It’s that simple. If you’re not using both lenses, you’re essentially trying to swim with lead boots.

Why the Two Lenses Matter

Imagine a college committee tasked with reducing campus waste. They meet regularly, distribute flyers, and host events—but they never measure how much waste the college generates or analyze what it’s made of. They never explore effective behavior-change strategies, like using pledges (a proven method for fostering long-term change).

What happens? The committee spends years meeting and circulating flyers with little to no measurable impact on waste reduction. This is an all-too-common scenario.

Without data, they’re blind to the problem. Without behavioral psychology, they don’t know how to influence action. The result? Wasted time and resources.

How to Implement the Two Lenses Approach

Here’s how to shift from ineffective activism to real, measurable change:

1. Pick a cause you deeply care about.
2. Research all available data on the issue. Dig into reports, studies, and raw numbers to understand the problem’s scope.
3. Brainstorm 10 specific behaviors that would shift the numbers. For example, if you’re tackling transportation emissions, behaviors could include switching to electric vehicles, carpooling, or biking to work.
4. Choose the one behavior that would have the greatest impact. Focus on what will move the needle the most.
5. Study behavioral psychology and gamification techniques. Read books like Fostering Sustainable Behavior and Designing for Behavior Change. Learn how to motivate people effectively.

Why the Two Lenses Work

This approach works because it cuts through fluff and focuses on what matters:

1. Identifying low-hanging fruit: Data helps you spot the easiest, most impactful opportunities.
2. Creating effective strategies: A data-driven mindset keeps you grounded and pragmatic.
3. Reducing distractions: Numbers help drown out loud personalities or irrelevant ideas within organizations.
4. Optimizing motivation: Behavioral psychology taps into what truly drives human actions.
5. Maximizing resources: With limited time and money, the Two Lenses help you get the most bang for your buck.
6. Avoiding missteps: You’ll steer clear of ineffective tactics, like overloading people with educational flyers that don’t lead to action.

A Vision for Measurable Change

It saddens me to think about the countless passionate people wasting their time on projects that don’t move the needle. These well-meaning efforts often fizzle out because they lack a foundation in data and behavior.

But what excites me is the untapped potential of these same people. If we can equip them with the tools of measurement and behavioral psychology, they could achieve transformative results.

Imagine standing on stage, presenting the measurable impact of your work:
“Four years ago, we launched a strategy to cut car use in our city by 10%. We used bike-share programs, new bike lanes, subsidies for electric bikes, and ride-to-work campaigns. Today, car use is down by 18%, preventing 523 million tons of CO₂ from entering the atmosphere.”

The crowd erupts in applause. You’ve done it. And it was possible because you used the Two Lenses Approach to focus your efforts and maximize your impact.

The Two Lenses Are Just the Beginning

Data is the soil from which innovative strategies sprout. Once you’ve planted your foundation in data, you can layer on gamification techniques to supercharge human motivation. Leaderboards, badges, and other tools can amplify the behavior changes you need to see.

This approach has transformed how I work—and it can do the same for you. With the Two Lenses in place, you’ll find yourself on a path to more creative projects, deeper connections, and more meaningful impact.

Your “Change Moment”

I want you to experience your own “change moment”—that pivotal breakthrough where you realize your work has made a measurable difference. When you embrace the Two Lenses, you’ll discover a clear path to making change that counts, and you’ll inspire others to join you along the way.

It’s time to shift from well-meaning effort to real-world impact. Let’s get started.

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