Building a Stairway to Heaven
How small steps pave the way for big shifts in physical and mental health
A few years back in San Francisco, I had the opportunity to work for a wonderful startup developing a neuroscience-based mental health platform. One of my favorite parts of the role was the chance to speak with our founder, an integrative neuroscientist with 40 years experience as a leader in the field. As a product manager, my challenge was to keep users consistently engaged with the platform long enough to see shifts in their mental health.
The challenge is that training mental health differs from strength training, where a weekly program can give fairly predictable results. When I asked our founder for advice in how to prepare users for their mental health journey, he said something that shifted my perspective:
The most important thing we can communicate to anyone training their mental health is that every time they practice brain training or make a choice that supports mental health, they are rewiring their brains and that’s already a victory. Therefore, encourage them to see each positive choice as progress.
Finally, rather than telling them how to expect to feel after a certain amount of practice, encourage them to reflect on their own progress. Once they notice — even in a small way — that these brain training and new choices make them…
