Transform Your Life with Small Changes
“It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently.” – Tony Robbins
Changing habits can often feel overwhelming, but according to BJ Fogg’s book Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything, it doesn’t have to be. The key to lasting change lies in starting small—very small. Fogg offers a simple, yet transformative approach to habit-building that focuses on minimizing effort and maximizing results by making behavior change easy and joyful.
The Key to Behavior Change: Feeling Good, Not Bad
One of the most common misconceptions about changing behavior is that you need to punish yourself into action. Fogg’s approach turns this idea on its head. According to him, you change best when you feel good, not bad.
Forget about relying on willpower, setting up accountability measures, or promising yourself rewards. The real key is designing habits that naturally fit into your life and feel easy to accomplish.
Another mistake many people make is assuming that information alone will lead to change. Fogg calls this the Information-Action Fallacy—the belief that if we give people the right information, they’ll naturally change their behavior. In reality, it’s the simplicity of the habit that matters most.
Why Start Tiny?
Starting tiny is the key to making lasting change. Here’s why:
Tiny is fast: Small habits don’t require much time. And the smaller the habit, the more likely you’ll do it, especially if you’re stressed or busy.
Tiny can start now: No need to wait – small habits can be implemented immediately.
Tiny is safe: Small steps feel achievable and don’t overwhelm you.
Tiny can grow big: A tiny habit today can grow into a much larger and impactful behavior down the road.
Tiny doesn’t rely on motivation or willpower: By making the behavior so simple, you remove the need for motivation.
The Fogg Behavior Model
BJ Fogg’s Behavior Model shows that a behavior occurs when three things come together: Motivation, Ability, and a Prompt (B = MAP).
Motivation: This is the desire to do the behavior. The more motivated you are, the more likely you are to take action. However, motivation is unreliable, so it’s important to learn how to outsmart it.
Ability: The easier a behavior is, the more likely it will happen. Fogg emphasizes keeping things simple. To increase ability, you can acquire tools, improve your skills, or make the behavior even smaller. If the behavior is too hard, identify which factor needs to be adjusted: Time, Money, Physical Effort, Mental Effort or Routine.
Prompt: No behavior happens without a prompt. The key is to insert the new behavior immediately AFTER something you already do. This is the foundation of the Tiny Habits recipe: “After I [anchor behavior], I will [new tiny behavior].” See examples of Tiny Habits Recipes here.
How to Start a New Habit Using the Tiny Habits Method
Want to start a new habit using this method? Here’s how it works:
Step 1: Clarify the Aspiration
What is your goal?
Example: Establish an exercise routine
Step 2: Explore Behavior Options
Brainstorm a list of behaviors that would help you achieve this goal.
Example: Swimming, running, yoga, strength training, or bodyweight exercises.
Step 3: Match with Specific Behaviors
Identify your “Golden Behaviors,” which meet the following criteria:
Impact: The behavior helps you reach your aspiration.
Motivation: You actually want to do it.
Ability: You are capable of doing it.
Example: Bodyweight exercises.
Step 4: Start Tiny
What is the smallest version of this behavior you can start with?
Example: One pushup (regular, modified, or wall version, depending on your fitness level)
Step 5: Find a Good Prompt
Insert the new behavior immediately after something you already do regularly.
Example: “After I pour my first cup of coffee, I will do one pushup.”
Step 6: Celebrate Successes
Immediately celebrate your success after completing the behavior. This might be as simple as saying “Yesss!!” or clapping your hands.
Example: After doing one pushup, clap your hands and say, “I did it!”
Pro Tip: After you design your Tiny Habit, rehearse your habit recipe with celebration 7-10 times to lock it in.
As you progress, you can increase the number of pushups and add other exercises. Starting with one pushup helps you establish a routine that can easily grow into something bigger.
How to Stop an Unwanted Habit
To stop an existing habit, disrupt one of the MAP components or swap the habit with a different behavior.
Imagine you pass a bowl of peanut butter cups every day at work, and you grab one every time you walk by. Here’s how you could change that:
Reduce motivation: You could read the ingredients and research the long-term effects on health. That might reduce your desire, but it’s not always reliable.
Make the behavior harder: You could hide the bowl, but your coworkers may not appreciate that. Or you could take a different route to avoid it, but that’s not always possible.
Swap the habit: You could start a new habit by bringing your own healthy snacks and eating one whenever you pass the bowl.
Use your imagination, experiment with these strategies, and your behaviors will change over time.
Conclusion
The Tiny Habits method is about using small, achievable steps to create lasting change in your life. Whether you’re starting a new habit or stopping an old one, the key is to start tiny, celebrate your successes, and build momentum over time.
What Tiny Habits will you create to transform your life?