Professor Laurie Santos from Yale, coined the phrase “G.I. Joe Fallacy.” She explains it like this:

In the 1980s, there was a popular Saturday-morning cartoon about G.I. Joe. At the end of each episode, the show featured a public service announcement where a character would deliver a safety tip or life lesson, ending with the tagline:

“Now you know, and knowing is half the battle.”

But, Santos points out, while knowledge is important, it’s only one part of the process. Real change requires action and habits.

This is why getting processes to stick is so difficult.

I’ve poured countless hours into crafting the perfect PowerPoint, assuming everything will change overnight.

And then?

It flops.

A better approach? I should present the idea, and then launch a 10-week habit sprint to track the team’s adoption of the new protocol.

Think:

• Weight Watchers’ weekly check-ins
• Duolingo’s practice notifications
• Personal trainers showing up even when you’re tired

Yes, it’s maddening to keep this accountability task on my to-do list for the next 10 weeks. But those micro-check-ins? They’re the key to moving the project from limbo to entrenched.

How?

Use the “delay send” feature to schedule 10 weeks of check-in emails to your staff (and yourself). Each email can prompt team members to report back on their progress. When you receive the emails yourself, it will also serve as a reminder to follow up and expect replies.

So now you know.

But you also know that knowing is only a small part of making something stick.