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Tiny Habits

Build a habit by making it tiny and attaching it to an existing routine.

Use it whenyou want a new habit that actually sticks.

Origin
BJ Fogg, 2019
Time
10 to 15 min, then a week of practice
Works
Solo
Loading the workspace
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Abstract

Most new habits fail because they rely on motivation, and motivation comes and goes. BJ Fogg's method works around that. You shrink the behaviour until it takes a few seconds and tie it to something you already do every day. As soon as you've done it, you give yourself a small celebration.

It's based on his behaviour model, B = MAP: a behaviour happens when motivation, ability and a prompt show up at the same moment. On days when motivation is low, only very easy behaviours get done. That's why the method puts its effort into making habits easier.

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Method

  1. 01

    Name what you want

    Write down what you'd like more of in your life. That's the goal; the habit comes later.

  2. 02

    Pick an anchor

    Choose something you already do daily, like pouring your coffee or brushing your teeth. That moment becomes the prompt.

  3. 03

    Shrink the behaviour

    Make it take under 30 seconds: one push-up, or opening your notebook and writing one sentence.

  4. 04

    Celebrate right away

    As soon as you've done it, do something that makes you feel good, even just saying “nice” out loud. Fogg argues that feeling is what makes the habit stick.

  5. 05

    Practise and adjust

    Try it for a week. If it doesn't happen, pick a different anchor or make the behaviour smaller instead of blaming yourself.

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When to use it

  • You keep starting habits with enthusiasm and dropping them a few weeks later.
  • You want to change something but have very little spare time or energy.
  • You're helping someone else build a routine and don't want to nag them.
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Common pitfalls

  • Making the starter version bigger because the tiny one feels pointless.
  • Using a time of day as the anchor. “After I pour my coffee” works better than “at 7am”.
  • Skipping the celebration because it feels silly. In Fogg's method it's what makes the habit stick.
  • Treating a missed day as a failure. Do it at the next anchor and carry on.
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Origin and references

Attributed to BJ Fogg (2019).

  1. Fogg, B. J. (2019). Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
  2. Fogg, B. J. (2009). A behavior model for persuasive design. Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Persuasive Technology.
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