In this NPR Life Kit interview, Stanford behavior scientist BJ Fogg explains that habits are behaviors we do automatically, and that building them is less about willpower and repetition and more about smart design: choosing behaviors you genuinely want, making them extremely easy, and fitting them naturally into your existing routine.
His Tiny Habits method is grounded in a simple behavior model—motivation, ability, and prompt must converge for a behavior to occur—and he argues that lowering the “ability” bar (e.g., flossing one tooth, doing one push-up) makes habits resilient even when motivation fluctuates. A key innovation is anchoring new habits to routines you already do, so the routine itself becomes the prompt, rather than relying on reminders or memory. Fogg also emphasizes celebration: feeling successful right after doing the habit creates positive emotion, which is what actually wires habits into the brain.
While starting habits and breaking habits are different processes, the same model applies—remove motivation, ability, or the prompt and a habit can weaken. Over time, tiny habits can naturally grow as ability and motivation increase, often accompanied by an identity shift (“I’m the kind of person who does this”). What really works to make habits stick is making the behavior easy, anchoring it to an existing routine, and generating a genuine feeling of success in the moment.
How to get started building good habits
- Start with what you want, not what you “should” do
Choose habits that clearly connect to the life you want (better sleep, more energy, less stress), not external pressure. - Shrink the habit to its tiniest possible version
Define a version so easy you can do it even on your worst day (one tooth, one squat, one deep breath). - Anchor the habit to something you already do
Use an existing routine as the prompt: “After I brush my teeth, I will floss one tooth.” - Avoid relying on reminders, alarms, or memory
Let your daily routines do the reminding whenever possible. - Celebrate immediately after doing the habit
Smile, say “nice job,” or feel a moment of pride—positive emotion is what builds automaticity. - Allow yourself to do more, but never require it
The tiny habit is the success; anything extra is optional. - Work in clusters around one domain
You can start multiple habits at once if they support the same goal (e.g., mobility, nutrition, strength). - Use the “movie test” to make habits concrete
If you can’t picture yourself doing it in a movie, it’s not specific enough. - Expect growth and identity shift over time
As habits feel easier and successes accumulate, motivation and self-concept naturally expand. - For unwanted habits, experiment with hiding prompts
Change environments, routes, notifications, or visibility to reduce cues that trigger the behavior.