The B=MAP Behavior Model
A behavior occurs only when Motivation, Ability, and a Prompt converge at the same moment. If a behavior doesn't happen, exactly one of these three was missing — diagnose which one rather than blaming willpower.
Tiny Habits
6 ideas
Make Behavior Easier Instead of Boosting Motivation
Motivation is unreliable and fluctuates, so designing for high motivation sets you up to fail. The durable lever is increasing ability — shrinking the behavior until it's so easy you'll do it even on low-motivation days.
Anchor an Action to an Existing Routine
New habits stick when attached to a reliable existing behavior that acts as a prompt — 'After I [existing routine], I will [new tiny behavior].' The already-automatic action becomes the trigger, removing the need to remember.
Start Absurdly Small to Build Habits
Scale a desired habit down to a near-trivial version — two pushups, flossing one tooth — so the entry cost is negligible. The point is not the immediate result but installing the behavior reliably; growth happens naturally once the habit takes root.
Emotions Create Habits, Not Repetition
Habits form through the positive feeling that immediately follows a behavior, not through frequency or duration of practice. Deliberately celebrating right after completing a tiny action wires the behavior into automaticity faster than mere repetition.
Redesign the Situation, Not the Person
Failure to change behavior is a design flaw in the surrounding context, not a character defect. Shift from self-judgment to detective mode — adjust prompts, environment, and difficulty until the behavior becomes the path of least resistance.