Stanford behavior scientist, author of Tiny Habits
Shipping
Motivation, ability and a prompt must converge. When a behavior fails, check the prompt first and motivation last.
There's only three elements that must happen at the same moment for behavior to occur: Motivation, there has to be some level, ability, and there has to be a trigger. And those things have to happen at the same moment. If any one's missing the behavior won't happen.
BJ Fogg
says behaviour happens only when motivation, ability and a prompt land in the same instant, and that motivation is the least reliable of the three. So you shrink the behaviour and place the prompt, instead of trying to make people want it more.
says nobody switches because a prompt arrived. They switch because a struggling moment got big enough, and the forces of progress, push, pull, anxiety and habit, decide whether the switch happens at all.
The Tiny Habits Recipe (ABC Method)
The Tiny Habits Recipe follows the ABC formula: Anchor (an existing routine), Behavior (the new tiny action), and Celebration (immediate positive emotion). The recipe…
Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything (2019)
The Behavior Grid
The Behavior Grid classifies 15 types of behavior change along two dimensions: behavior type (new, familiar, increase, decrease, stop) and duration (one-time, for a…
The Behavior Grid (behaviordesign.stanford.edu)
The Ability Chain
Ability is not a single thing but a chain of five links: Time, Money, Physical Effort, Mental Effort, and Routine compatibility. The weakest link in the chain determines…
Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything (2019)
B=MAP: A behavior occurs only when Motivation, Ability, and a Prompt converge at the same moment. If any one element is missing, the behavior will not happen.
When designing any new habit, workflow, or execution routine, ensure all three elements are present simultaneously before expecting the behavior to occur.
Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything (2019)
When a behavior is not happening, troubleshoot in this exact order: first check the Prompt, then check Ability, then check Motivation. Never start with motivation.
When a team member or you yourself are failing to execute on a task or habit, diagnose by checking whether the trigger/reminder exists, then whether the task is simple…
Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything (2019)
Make the target behavior so small that it requires almost no motivation. The behavior should take less than 30 seconds and feel trivially easy.
When starting a new execution habit such as daily code reviews, writing, or shipping, shrink the behavior to its starter step so it happens even on low-motivation days.
Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything (2019)
When a behavior is not happening, check the Prompt first. In most cases, the behavior fails because there is no clear trigger, not because of low motivation.
Diagnosing why a team or individual is not executing consistently.
Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything (2019)
If you cannot get yourself to do something, make it smaller. Keep shrinking the behavior until you can do it even on your worst day.
When procrastination or resistance is blocking execution on a task.
Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything (2019)
Anchor new behaviors to existing routines, not to time-of-day. 'After I pour my coffee' is more reliable than 'at 9 AM'.
When establishing triggers for new execution habits.
Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything (2019)
Simplicity changes behavior more reliably than motivation. Make the desired behavior easier rather than trying to increase desire.
Motivation is inherently unstable and fluctuates throughout the day, week, and year. Ability, once improved, stays improved. A simpler process works every day; a…
Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything (2019)
You change best by feeling good, not by feeling bad. Positive emotion is the mechanism of habit formation, not guilt, fear, or shame.
Neurologically, positive emotions (celebration, pride, satisfaction) release dopamine that strengthens neural pathways. Negative emotions may produce short-term…
Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything (2019)
Start tiny, grow naturally. The seed of a large behavior is a miniature version that succeeds consistently. Forced expansion kills habits; organic expansion sustains them.
Tiny behaviors establish the neural pathway and the identity ('I am someone who deploys daily'). Once the pathway exists and is reinforced by celebration, expansion…
Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything (2019)
