“What are the things we love most? The things we spend the most time working on. Brain scientist call this the “IKEA effect.”

There’s a neuroscience motivation behind the big-box retailer making us slog that heavy box to our car. There’s a brain-science strategy behind the 10,000 pieces they force us to meticulously assemble. Once we’ve toiled that hard on that bookcase, it isn’t just a piece of furniture anymore. It’s forever an icon of our own capabilities and genius.

We don’t work on things because we love them. We love things because we work on them. It’s a big reason we are so smitten with our hobbies, hometown teams, families, homes, and cars.

A few years back, I decided that I wanted to seriously up my fitness level. So I designed a behavioral change strategy that utilized the IKEA effect.

I spent weeks researching workout routines, reward systems, gear, and schedules. I created A/B tests, tried out high-tech gadgets, and thoroughly immersed myself in the fitness world. I made researching the project fun by going to lunch with friends and interviewing them on how they stayed fit.