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Reid Hoffman: The Products That Win Are the Ones Built on Human Nature

By Reid Hoffman · Startup Growth · 1 min read

Hoffman says the best products do not fight human behavior. They harness it.

Key Points

Build products that align with how humans already behave
Social proof, reciprocity, and identity are the strongest product forces
Products that fight human nature always lose

The most successful products in history are the ones that harness human nature instead of fighting it.

Harness, Do Not Fight

People are social. They seek status. They want to belong. They fear missing out.

The best products harness these instincts. They do not try to change behavior.

LinkedIn harnessed professional identity. Facebook harnessed social connection. Both rode human nature.

The Forces

Social proof: if others use it, I should too.

Reciprocity: you helped me, I will help you back.

Identity: this product says something about who I am.

Products that tap all three become unstoppable.

The most successful products harness human nature.

Fighting Nature Loses

Products that ask users to change their behavior fail.

You cannot make people suddenly love budgeting or exercise through an app.

But you can make budgeting feel like a game. Or exercise feel like status. That is harnessing, not fighting.