# Tiny Habits

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

Chapter V, Learning and growth · 5.02 · Origin: BJ Fogg (2019) · Time: 10 to 15 min, then a week of practice · Solo

**Use it when** you want a new habit that actually sticks.

Interactive workspace: https://kogu.tools/tools/tiny-habits

## 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.

## Method

1. **Name what you want.** Write down what you'd like more of in your life. That's the goal; the habit comes later.
2. **Pick an anchor.** Choose something you already do daily, like pouring your coffee or brushing your teeth. That moment becomes the prompt.
3. **Shrink the behaviour.** Make it take under 30 seconds: one push-up, or opening your notebook and writing one sentence.
4. **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. **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.

## 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.

## 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.

## References

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