How to Install a New Habit That Sticks?

Hi there! 😀In this article, I would like to share with you a powerful tool I used to install a new habit I learned from the book, Tiny Habits, by B.J. Fogg and I am excited for you to apply it by the time you finish reading this article.

Quick context: I cannot remember the countless times I failed to instill a good habit. For example, I know the importance of drinking water for our health, but I just cannot keep myself drinking liters of water every day.

So, last year, I decided to restart to get serious with my hydration because I noticed that my skin and my hair were getting drier and drier every day and that fine wrinkles were getting more visible. And I used B.J. Fogg’s method to install it.

Did you know our bodies are mostly made of water? Yeah, about 60%!

When you don’t drink enough water, your skin can get dry. Staying hydrated is a daily necessity that helps all body systems to function properly.

The general recommendation for water consumption is 2.7 liters per day for women and 3.7 liters per day for men, with individual needs depending on various factors such your geographical location, temperature, physical activities, health, and more.

Since I’m breastfeeding, I need even more water than usual. So, I decided to make drinking enough water a daily habit.

Before I dive into the tools, it is worth introducing you to the author of Tiny Habits, B.J. Fogg.

BJ Fogg founded the Behavior Design Lab at Stanford University. He is one of the world’s leading authorities on the science of behavior change. In this book, he introduces us to the core elements of his Fogg Behavior Model as we learn that habit change doesn’t need to be as hard as we make it. As BJ tells us:

Tiny is mighty. At least when it comes to change. Over the last twenty years, I’ve found that almost everyone wants to make some kind of change: eat healthier, lose weight, exercise more, reduce stress, get better sleep.

We want to be better parents and partners. We want to be more productive and creative. But the alarming levels of obesity, sleeplessness, and stress reported by the media — and seen in my Stanford lab’s research — tell me there is a painful gap between what people want and what they actually do.

The disconnect between want and do has been blamed on a lot of things — but people blame it on themselves for the most part. They internalize the cultural message of ‘It’s your fault! You should exercise more, but you aren’t doing it. Shame on you!’

I am here to say. It isn’t your fault. And creating positive change isn’t as hard as you think. We are not the problem. Our approach to change is. It’s a design flaw — not a personal flaw

The 3 Elements to Drive a Behavior: B=MAP

As BJ tells us: “A behavior happens when the three elements of MAP — Motivation, Ability, and Prompt — come together at the same moment. Motivation is your desire to do the behavior. Ability is your capacity to do the behavior. And prompt is your cue to do the behavior.”

Okay, let's have a brief walkthrough of the main components of that model.

On the Y axis, we have Motivation, either High or Low. On the X axis, we have Ability, either High or Low (Hard or Easy to Do). Then we have a Prompt. The Prompt can show up either above or below what BJ calls the “Action Line.”

If our Motivation is High and our Ability is High or Easy

to Do, the Prompt will fall above the Action Line and we’ll do it.

If, on the other hand, we have Low Motivation and our Ability is Low or Hard to Do, we won’t do it.

Applying the behavior model to my new hydration habit, I have both high motivation and high ability to perform this habit. As a result, the prompt is above the “action line," which increases my likelihood of succeeding in this new behavior.

In Behavior Design we match ourselves with new habits we can do even when we are at our most hurried, unmotivated, and beautifully imperfect. If you can imagine doing the behavior on your hardest day of the week, it’s probably a good match.

If you feel inspired, take a quick moment to run one of your behaviors on that model.

The ABCs of Tiny Habits

We now know that B = MAP. Now it’s time for the ABCs of Tiny Habits. It is a simple framework to help you create and maintain new habits. Here’s what each letter stands for:

A — Anchor:

Choose an existing routine or action you consistently do as the anchor for your new habit. This could be something like brushing your teeth, drinking your morning coffee, or getting into bed at night. The Anchor moments remind you to do the new behavior.

B — New Tiny Behavior:

Decide on the new behavior or habit that you want to incorporate into your routine. A simple version of the new habit you want, such as flossing one tooth or doing two push-ups. You do the Tiny Behavior immediately after the Anchor Moment. Make sure it’s small, specific, and achievable.

C — Instant Celebration:

Celebrate and reinforce your new habit by acknowledging your success each time you complete it. Create positive emotions, such as saying “good job” or giving yourself a high-five. You celebrate immediately after doing the new Tiny Behavior.

By using the ABCs (Anchor > Behavior > Celebration) of Tiny Habits, you can make it easier to establish and maintain new habits in your life.

How did I use the ABCs for my new Hydration Habit?

Anchor: To establish my hydration habit, I make sure to drink water after my morning meditation. Before bed, I place a bottle of water in my room, so it's ready to go when I wake up and complete my meditation. Then I drink a second glass after my 15-minute yoga session. By breakfast, I've already consumed about 700 ml of water.

Behavior: To ensure I stay hydrated throughout the day, I make it easy to access water. The night before, I placed a bottle of water in my room. In the morning, I start drinking water right away and continue throughout the day. I drink whenever my daughter does, and I always keep my cup filled with tea or water, so it's ready whenever I need a sip. This routine is simple to maintain and keeps me hydrated.

Celebrate: I mark my hydration success by target swiping the Hydration habit in my Heroic app and telling myself "Yes, That's like me!" Celebrating these small wins gives a burst of dopamine, which boosts your mood and reinforces the behavior that leads to success.

As B.J. Fogg said, "Celebration will one day be ranked alongside mindfulness and gratitude as daily practices that contribute most to our overall happiness and well-being. If you learn just one thing from my entire book, I hope it’s this: Celebrate your tiny successes. This one small shift in your life can have a massive impact even when you feel there is no way up or out of your situation. Celebration can be your lifeline."

I'm grateful I discovered this tool and used it to build my hydration habit. Since I started drinking more water every day, my skin, hair, and overall health have greatly improved. Developing lasting good habits is a key step toward a happier life.

The ABC method from Tiny Habits and the B=MAP model offer a simple way to gradually make meaningful changes. Whether it's drinking more water, exercising, or anything else, the key to making it stick is to connect it to an existing routine as your anchor, start small make it really easy to do, and celebrate every success.

Let's keep working toward better habits, knowing that even small, consistent steps can lead to big improvements.

I would like to end this with a quote from B.J. Fogg:

If there’s one concept from my book I hope you embrace, it’s this: People change best by feeling good, not by feeling bad.

Thank you for reading. I would also recommend checking out the book, Tiny Habits, or you can read the summary version highlighting the key ideas in the Philosopher’s notes. Check it out here.

If you'd like to use the Heroic app to install and track new habits, get your free 30-day premium access in thislink.