It’s the heart, stupid.

January 17. The gyms start to empty out, fewer runners in the park, alcohol sales start to pick up, the weekly book hasn’t been touched for more than a week. A large part of virtue consists in good habits. We are our habits and the patterns that permeate life.

Just think about the visit to your supermarket, a routine that you do on rinse and repeat. The brands you buy, the ones you avoid, the aisles you walk through quickly, the register you go to, your routine while waiting.

The majority of marketing is based on the paradigm to change people’s stories. Do you know how unlikely it is to change someone’s mind? More unlikely than changing your habits. We live our own story and outside forces won’t alter our version of the truth. But, we can try to understand the stories of others about who they are and what they believe, and we can build on that story.

James Carville said: “It’s the economy, stupid.” For marketing, it’s the heart, stupid. People don’t just change what they are doing and reverse course. But if we build on their story, they might take a small step towards a different version of their story.