The Power of Pain and Pleasure: Motivational Reasoning for Real Change
How Irby Ethical Strategies Leverages Visceral Motivation for Breakthrough Consulting
Written by Dr. Jemaine L. Irby, 19 January 2026
At Irby Ethical Strategies, we know that human motivation is seldom driven solely by abstract logic. Instead, it is rooted deeply in the visceral experiences of pleasure and pain. If you have ever wondered why people cling to comforting beliefs despite evidence to the contrary, you are not alone. Our approach recognizes that motivational reasoning, how we justify our choices to ourselves, is shaped by the foundational desire to avoid pain and seek pleasure.
Here is the key insight: When faced with the discomfort of being wrong (accuracy motivation) versus the pain of changing our minds (directional motivation), most people choose immediate psychological comfort. It is a quick fix, like reaching for a sweet treat instead of facing the truth about your health habits. But we help clients see that this short-term comfort often leads to long-term agony. Think of it as “compound interest” on destructive beliefs: every time we dodge uncomfortable truths, we are borrowing against our future well-being.
Our consulting frameworks are designed to make the cost of avoidance tangible. For example, in the military, skipping routine maintenance may feel good today but results in catastrophic failure tomorrow. In business, ignoring market shifts feels comfortable now, but leads to lost opportunities and eroded relationships later. By mapping “comfort now, crisis later” scenarios for each industry, we empower clients to viscerally experience how today’s avoidance multiplies tomorrow’s pain, the moment when accurate motivation finally wins out.
We also recognize a powerful truth from moral psychology: most people operate at a pre-conventional stage of moral development, focused on immediate self-interest. Traditional consulting often fails because it assumes clients will respond to higher-level appeals, such as social approval or principled ethics. At Irby Ethical Strategies, we start with “what will hurt or help you right now” and then incrementally extend the time horizon. Our virtue frameworks translate abstract concepts into tangible pains and gains: Courage means “the pain of cowardice compounds,” while Justice is framed as “unfairness bites back.”
This approach is not just more effective; it is more inclusive. By meeting clients at their actual motivational starting point and building bridges upward, we unlock real, lasting change. Childlike thinking is not a problem; it is the entry point to ethical growth. At Irby Ethical Strategies, we turn psychological comfort into a catalyst for transformation, helping individuals and organizations play the long game for genuine success.
Connect with Dr. Irby
For more insights into ethical strategies and organizational culture, connect with Dr. Irby online:
Website: irbyethicalstrategies.com
Email: info@irbyethicalstrategies.com
Facebook: facebook.com/irbyethicalstrategies
Instagram: instagram.com/irby_ethical_strategies?igsh=d2oxMWFzb2Uydzg0&utm_source=qr
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/irby-ethical-strategies-ies/?viewAsMember=true
