Podcast Summary:

Travis Makes Money, SOLO | Make Money By Asking Better Questions: Motivational Interviewing

Host: Travis Chappell
Date: February 12, 2026

Main Theme & Purpose

In this solo episode, Travis Chappell explores the power of motivational interviewing—a strategy rooted in asking better questions instead of pushing advice or instructions—to drive meaningful behavior change. He dives into its origins in psychology, compelling use cases, and especially how it can become a “business weapon” for entrepreneurs, leaders, and anyone looking to influence others effectively. The tone is practical, insightful, and often self-revelatory, with Travis sharing personal stories and actionable sales techniques.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What is Motivational Interviewing?

• Developed by psychologists William R. Miller and Stephen Rollnick.
• Designed for helping people change without direct instructions.
• Core philosophy: People already know what they should do, but ambivalence holds them back.
• Rather than persuade or push, it involves asking questions so people uncover their own reasons for change.
• It respects the autonomy of the person making the decision, making change feel like their idea.
• “Motivational interviewing is one of those ideas that sounds simple, almost obvious, and then you realize how rarely we actually use it.” (Travis, 02:00)

2. Why Information Alone Doesn’t Lead to Change

• The modern problem isn’t access to information, it’s ambivalence: People internally wrestle between wanting and resisting change.
• “The problem is not the information, especially not today... information is ubiquitous. The problem is ambivalence.” (Travis, 02:34)

3. The Pitfalls of Direct Advice and Authority

• Telling people what to do triggers resistance.
• Travis shares a personal anecdote about weight loss—how family and friends telling him to lose weight made him want to do the opposite.
• “Anytime somebody would tell me to lose weight, all it did... all it made me want to do is just go gain more weight.” (Travis, 05:33)
• Motivation has to come from within—the individual must internalize the change for it to stick.

4. How Motivational Interviewing Works—Therapy & Health Care Case Studies

Alcohol Use

• Initially tested with clients struggling with alcohol.
• Therapists moved from telling clients why drinking was bad to asking them questions like:
  • “What do you enjoy about drinking?”
  • “What worries you about drinking?”
  • “How does this fit with the life you want?”
• “The key insight being the more the client talked themselves into change during the sessions, the better their outcomes were later.” (Travis, 08:25)
• The concept of “change talk”—clients verbalizing their own reasons for and commitment to change—strongly predicts positive outcomes.

Smoking Cessation

• Now used in primary care to help people quit smoking.
• Doctors ask, “On a scale from 1 to 10, how ready are you to quit?” and if the answer is, say, a 5, follow up with: “Why is it not a 2?”
• “That single question pulls motivation out of the patient instead of pushing it in. It's the very difference between pushing somebody to make a decision and pulling them into internalizing a new belief…” (Travis, 12:25)
• These methods yield better, longer-lasting results than simply warning patients or giving more information.

5. Applying Motivational Interviewing in Business & Sales

• Most business conversations fail because we try to convince rather than uncover.
• “Stop the pitching, start pulling. Instead of telling a prospect why your offer is valuable, ask questions that force them to confront their own gap.” (Travis, 13:55)
• Example questions for prospects:
  • “What’s this going to potentially cost you if we don’t get this problem taken care of in the next six months?”
  • “How is not getting more leads affecting other areas of your business?”
  • “What have you already tried?”
• Reflect back their answers: If you can articulate someone’s problem better than they can, they’ll often assume you have the solution.
• “If I can better articulate the problem to them because of all the questions that I’ve asked, then they are much more likely to take action with me.” (Travis, 16:40)

6. Using It in Leadership and Coaching

• Works with team members, partners, or kids—get them to articulate their own standards and obstacles:
  • “How do you feel about your performance right now?”
  • “What would great look like to you in this role?”
  • “What are the obstacles you think are getting in the way?”
• People strive to act consistently with how they describe themselves.
• “If they have articulated to you that they believe themselves to be this type of person, then they are much more likely to live up to the standards that they have set for themselves rather than living up to the standards that you have set for them.” (Travis, 17:50)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “People don’t change because they’re convinced. They change because they feel understood and they allow themselves to articulate the truth.” (17:05)
• “Nobody wants to be sold, but everybody wants to buy.” (12:11)
• “Less talking, better results, which is exactly what being a salesperson is all about.” (14:27)
• “The scale of 1 to 10 question is a fantastic motivational interviewing tool that works really well, especially in, in these types of business conversations...” (16:09)
• “Motivational interviewing is not about being passive. It’s about guiding conversation so the motivation comes from the inside instead of being forced from the outside.” (18:03)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:00] — Introduction to motivational interviewing; why just telling people what to do doesn’t work
• [05:33] — Travis’ personal story on resistance to advice about losing weight
• [08:25] — The power of “change talk” in addiction therapy studies
• [10:28] — Motivational interviewing for smoking cessation; application of “Why not a 2?” scale
• [12:11] — Bridging to business and sales applications
• [14:27] — Letting clients articulate value instead of pitching
• [16:09] — Using motivational interviewing with clients, prospects, colleagues, and even children
• [17:50] — The deep impact of self-articulated standards and beliefs

Recommendations

• Motivational interviewing isn’t just for therapy—it’s a practical tool for sales, leadership, and daily interactions.
• Start practicing: Talk less, ask better questions, reflect back what you’ve heard, and guide others to articulate their own motivations.
• Book Recommendation: Supercommunicators by Charles Duhigg—discusses motivational interviewing and practical communication strategies.

Closing Tone

Travis encourages listeners to apply motivational interviewing everywhere—from business to personal life—emphasizing that asking better questions is far more powerful than trying to “win” arguments or push advice.

Summary prepared for listeners seeking practical, actionable steps and real insight into the art of asking questions that help people (and clients!) change.