Hey, it’s Payton.

And this is Andrew Bustamante 👇

He introduced me to the R.I.C.E. Framework, a tool that helps decode why some people put toilet paper on the roll backwards or order coffee with goat milk, and similar kinds of things.

…human motivation. Why humans do the things they do.

And while the CIA might use it to gather intel, I think Christian creators can use it to build integrity-based influence.

Not to manipulate. Not to force change.

But to understand what actually motivates human behavior and shape our messaging accordingly.

So let’s walk through each part.

REWARD: “What do I get if I say yes?”

This is the most obvious one to me. It’s the shiny object. The free download. The happy ending. The dopamine hit.

Reward is any perceived benefit: a bogus ton of money, untampered success, convenience, peace of mind, relief from pain. Some people want public recognition. Others want to stop feeling like a failure and get out of their parents’ basements.

And here’s the kicker: you cannot motivate everyone the same way. A 19-year-old guy is not motivated by the same things as a 39-year-old single mom. 

So you need to, 1) know your audience, 2) know their reward.

Understand what your audience values and speak from that, not at it.

IDEOLOGY: “What do I believe is right?”

This is where the real fire is.

Bustamante said this is the strongest motivator of all because people will do things they never thought possible (not for money, not for attention) for their beliefs.

People start movements, leave jobs, move countries, and crash planes…all in the name of what they believe is right. Our country was founded 250 years ago by a group of really motivated (and tea-deprived) people.

As Christian creators, we have an edge here because we’re not guessing at ideology, we just share the one we know to be true.

But we get lazy by assuming our audience agrees with us on everything. We think they think like us. Vote like us. See the world like us. So we soften our message, flatten our edges, and avoid addressing the real problems people face.

When someone feels seen in what they believe (even if they’re still wrestling with it), you earn their trust. And trust is the on-ramp to transformation.

COERCION: “What happens if I don’t?”

This is the least appealing aspect of the framework, but also the least utilized by Christians who are prudent of sounding pushy.

Coercion is not manipulation by default.

• It’s urgency.

• It’s loss aversion.

• It’s the gut-check that says, “If I don’t lose some weight, I might not live to meet my grandkids.”

This is the motivator used most frequently in industries like fitness, finance, and personal development.

The problem in the Christian world is we either overdo it (“Turn or burn!”) or underdo it (“Jesus loves you, no pressure…”).

But Jesus didn’t shy away from stakes. Stakes were high then, and they are high now. Did you know 1.4 million women are reported to have an account on OnlyFans, making up about 10% of women between 18 and 24 years old.

That’s high stakes.

So if your offer, your sermon, your message actually matters, you better communicate what’s at stake if people ignore it.

Not out of manipulation. Out of love.

EGO: “How do I want to be seen?”

Ego is the trickiest motivator because it hides behind both pride and humility.

Most people hear the word “ego” and think of politicians or celebrities who crave attention.
But ego also shows up in the person who wants to be seen as selfless. Or smart. Or quietly effective.

Ego is identity, how we see ourselves, and how we want others to see us.

• Mother Teresa had an ego. She wanted to be known and seen for her service and love to others with as much humility as could be within a person.

Every time you create something, your audience is asking a subconscious question: “Does this content affirm who I want to be?”

So you need to poke the ego —> Shame it. Flatter it. Affirm it. Encourage it.

Jesus did this constantly.

• He told fishermen they would become fishers of men.

• He told Peter he was a rock, even when he wasn’t acting like it.

• He told a sinful woman her story would be told for generations.

He poked their dignity, then invited them into something greater.

That’s what great storytelling does. It names the good, but never leaves the status quo.

So what do you do with all this?

You slow down.

You write down the RICE Framework.

You stop assuming people are motivated like you.

Then you start asking four key questions with every piece of writing:

1. What belief does this message align with or challenge?

2. How will this make my audience feel about themselves?

3. What outcome am I offering, and is it something they actually want?

4. What happens if they ignore this? And am I brave enough to say that?

When you answer those questions well, your message cuts through the chatter of social media. Your copy converts your audience. And your story gets shared and remembered.

MY BEST FINDS

Here are Payton’s Picks for the week. If you find something worth sharing with the rest of the Lab, reply to this email!

🧙‍♂️ Story

• 10 storytelling tips from 10 years at Disney (Rachel Karten)

📧 Email

• Andrew Bustamante breaks down human motivation on The Diary of a CEO (YouTube).

• The Open Rate (OR%) is a vanity metric. (LinkedIn)

• Double your open rate in 4 weeks in 3 simple steps. (Newsletter Operator)

✝️ Faith

• If you’re a Faith Driven Entrepreneur and want to join a weekly rhythm of global prayer, put your email address here and join us on Thursday (7/10) (LinkedIn)

👀 ICYMI

• The difference between attention span vs. consideration span (Christian Story Lab)

• Tired of your content being ignored? 2 simple steps. (LinkedIn)

Before you go, here are 3 ways I can help:

1. Very Good Email Playbook: If you’re tired of writing “meh” emails that get ignored, I’ll show you how to write ones people actually want to read. It’s free, and it’s packed with everything I’ve learned the hard way.

2. VeryGoodGhost Agency: I handle every aspect of content creation, from research and writing to editing and optimization, so you get scary good results.

3. Reply to Book a Free Call: Want to chat about your story, email strategy, or how to do this whole thing without losing your soul? Reply to this email, tell me what you’re working on, and I’ll send over a calendar link.

Keep writing what matters,

— Payton