BJ Fogg PhD, behavioural doyen and author of Tiny Habits, on why emotion, not repetition, creates lasting change
When it comes to behaviour change, BJ Fogg, PhD is the leading figure in his field. Founder of the Behaviour Design Lab at Stanford University and author of the bestselling book Tiny Habits, BJ has spent decades exploring why people do what they do, and how to help them do what they want to do more effectively. His Fogg Behaviour Model, built on the synergy between motivation, ability and a prompt, has shaped everything from public health campaigns to product design amongst Silicon Valley's biggest names.
In a brilliant conversation with Walter Kerr, BJ unpicks the genesis of his model, the story of how Instagram's founder turned a class project into a global juggernaut and why emotions, not repetition, is the secret ingredient to forming long-lasting habits. He talks parenting and screen time, offers practical tips to sustain habits and reveals how 20 minutes of piano practice and two glasses of electrolytes sets him up for the day.
🎙️ Episode highlights
BJ explains the Fogg Behaviour Model, the coming together of motivation, ability and a prompt.
He tells the story of how the idea for Instagram came from a final project in his Stanford class and why it was so successful.
He shares why emotions, not repetition, create lasting habits – a once-controversial view in his field.
BJ offers advice for parents trying to help their kids step back from social media and screen time.
He describes his 'tiny habits' method and how to break big goals into small, sustainable actions.
He offers parting advice for young people: explore widely and question tradition. That's where true innovation lies.