Learning to Change Habits from an Uneducated Liberian Dictator

Change Habits Like a Dictator Seizes Power

What can a ruthless dictator teach you about sticking to your goals?

At first, the idea seems absurd. Dictators are known for oppression, not personal development.

But Samuel Doe, an uneducated sergeant who became Liberia’s president after a bloody coup in 1980, offers a surprising lesson.

Doe’s rise and fall were driven by his instinctive understanding of human behavior—and that same wiring can help us build better habits. Whether you’re a student or a working professional, the logic of loyalty and rewards that ruled Doe’s regime mirrors the psychology behind why habits stick.

The Story of an Uneducated Liberian Dictator

Samuel Doe’s path from low-ranking soldier to president is one of ambition, violence, and rewards.

Born in 1951 into poverty in the Krahn ethnic group, Doe had little formal education. At 28, he led a coup against President William Tolbert, whose elitist rule had alienated Liberia’s poorer classes. Doe’s soldiers stormed the presidential mansion, killed Tolbert, and publicly executed key officials.

He then rewarded his most loyal backers—mostly fellow military officers and Krahn allies—with land, money, and power.

As president, Doe ran a deeply corrupt regime. He funneled private benefits to a small inner circle—giving them control over Liberia’s valuable timber and rubber industries—while crushing opposition.

But by the late ’80s, the economy was in freefall. Discontent grew. Rebel leaders Charles Taylor and Prince Johnson launched uprisings, offering Doe’s own allies better deals. They promised access to Liberia’s untapped wealth—and it worked. Soldiers defected. Others stood aside.

In 1990, Prince Johnson’s fighters captured and executed Doe.

His downfall made one thing clear: power depends on rewarding a small group of loyal supporters. Once someone else offers better rewards, everything shifts.

And that same shift is how habits change too.

How a Dictator Removes the Old Regime and Grabs Power

Samuel Doe’s tactics track with the ideas in The Dictator’s Handbook by Bruce Bueno de Mesquita and Alastair Smith.

The theory is simple: leaders stay in power by keeping a tight “winning coalition” satisfied. That’s the small group whose support matters most. Lose them, and you’re done.

When someone wants to take power, they don't just make speeches—they offer better rewards. As the authors put it, “They offer greater rewards to the essential supporters of the current leader than those essentials currently receive.”

Doe did exactly that in 1980. Tolbert favored a wealthy elite, while Doe offered money, land, and influence to angry soldiers and marginalized ethnic groups. That offer outmatched Tolbert’s and flipped enough key players to stage a successful coup.

He held onto power using the same method—until others outbid him.

Taylor and Johnson didn’t have bigger armies. They had better incentives. And once Doe’s people stopped getting what they wanted, they jumped ship.

It’s not about loyalty. It’s about rewards.

And that logic helps explain how to “overthrow” your own bad habits. They stick around because they give your brain short-term rewards. If you want to change, you have to offer something better.

What a Dictator Can Teach Us About Changing Habits

Think of your bad habits like an old regime.

They cling to power because they offer easy payoffs. Scrolling your phone, snacking, procrastinating—each gives you a dopamine hit with no effort.

To build better habits, you have to outbid those routines. That means creating systems where the new habit delivers its own quick payoff.

Start with positive framing.

Don’t tell yourself, “I have to work out.” Tell yourself, “Working out gives me energy and clears my head.” It’s a shift in mindset that makes the habit feel like a reward, not a punishment.

Doe didn’t tell his allies they were risking their lives. He promised power and profit.

Same idea.

Next, give yourself immediate rewards.

Long-term goals are great—but your brain cares about what happens now. So attach something you like to the new habit. Study for 25 minutes, then eat something you enjoy. Finish a run, then cue up your favorite show. Rewards should be instant, just like Doe handed out cash and land up front.

Use vivid imagery too.

If you're building a fitness habit, don’t just think “I should exercise.” Picture how strong, confident, or alert you’ll feel after the session. Visualizing payoff makes the task feel more worth it.

Finally, prioritize one or two essential habits, not everything at once.

Doe didn’t try to reward the whole country. He focused on a tight circle. You should too. Pick the one or two habits that matter most—like daily writing or sleep—and go all-in. Spreading attention thin weakens everything.

Narrow focus leads to better outcomes.

Relatable Examples

Let’s say you’re trying to build a study habit.

The habit you’re replacing—endless streaming—gives instant dopamine. Studying doesn't. Yet.

So start small. Set a 25-minute timer. Finish, and grab a snack you love. Track each session with a streak calendar. Frame it in a way that feels good: “This helps me get closer to my dream job.”

And if you miss a day? Don’t scrap the habit. Downscale. Do 10 minutes instead. Keep the chain going.

Or say you want to eat healthier.

Your brain likes chips because they’re comforting and easy. A salad doesn’t give that hit—unless you design it that way.

Turn on your favorite podcast. Make the plate colorful. Frame it as, “This gives me energy to dominate my afternoon.” If stress tempts you, shift: take a walk, not a bite.

You’re not removing a habit. You’re replacing the reward.

Overcoming Resistance

Old habits don’t go quietly.

They’ll tempt you with the same old comforts and shortcuts.

Plan for it. Use “if-then” strategies: “If I feel like skipping the gym, I’ll stretch for 5 minutes while blasting my favorite playlist.”

Small wins keep momentum alive.

Track your behavior visually—a calendar, a sticky note, anything you’ll actually see. That little dopamine hit from checking a box helps more than you think.

Samuel Doe didn’t lose power because he was cruel. He lost it because someone else offered more.

Outbid your old habits. That’s how real change sticks.