How to Design a Habit That Sticks
With a clear understanding of the habit loop and the power of identity, we can now move from theory to practice. Building the best habits for goal setting isn’t about finding a “perfect” routine; it’s about designing a system that makes the right actions as easy as possible. Think of yourself as an architect, and your behavior is the structure you’re building. A solid structure needs a strong foundation and smart design.
Start with a Minimum Viable Action
One of the most common reasons we fail to stick with new habits is that we make them too big, too soon. Our initial motivation tricks us into believing we can go from zero to one hundred overnight. To counteract this, you must start with what we call a minimum viable action. This is the smallest, most laughably easy version of your desired habit—an action so simple you can’t say no to it.
If your goal is to “read more,” your minimum viable action isn’t to read a chapter a day. It’s to read one page. If your goal is to “meditate for 20 minutes,” it’s to sit and breathe for 60 seconds. If you want to “write a novel,” it’s to write one sentence. The point is not to make dramatic progress on day one. The point is to show up. You are casting a vote for your new identity. Anyone can read one page. Anyone can breathe for a minute. By starting this small, you remove the friction of getting started and make it nearly impossible to fail, which builds the momentum you need for consistency.
Conduct a Friction Audit
Friction is the collection of small obstacles and bits of resistance that stand between you and your desired action. The more friction there is, the less likely you are to do something. Your job as a habit architect is to strategically decrease friction for your good habits and increase it for your bad habits. This is one of the most effective tools for changing behavior without relying on willpower.
To decrease friction for a good habit, ask yourself: “How can I make this 20 seconds easier to start?” If you want to go for a run in the morning, lay out your running clothes, shoes, and headphones the night before. If you want to drink more water, fill up a large water bottle and place it on your desk before you start work. If you want to practice guitar, take it out of its case and put it on a stand in the middle of your living room. Each small adjustment removes a decision point and a physical barrier, making the action flow more naturally.
Engineer Your Environment for Cues
Your environment is one of the most powerful and invisible forces shaping your behavior. The cues that trigger your habits are all around you. Instead of fighting your environment, redesign it to serve your goals. If you want to build a reading habit, don’t leave your phone on your nightstand; replace it with a book. The book becomes the cue. If you want to eat healthier snacks, don’t leave cookies on the counter; place a bowl of fresh fruit there instead. The fruit becomes the cue. The most successful people at building daily habits for success don’t necessarily have more willpower; they have simply created environments where the desired behavior is the most obvious and easiest choice.
Introduce Gentle Accountability
Accountability can be a powerful motivator, but it often carries a negative, punitive connotation. A gentler, more effective approach is to simply have a way of making your actions visible. This can be as simple as getting a calendar and putting an “X” on each day you complete your minimum viable action. The goal isn’t to create an unbroken chain but to have a visual record of your effort. Another method is to use habit stacking. This technique, popularized by author James Clear, involves attaching your new desired habit to a pre-existing one. The formula is: “After [current habit], I will [new habit].” For example: “After I brush my teeth in the morning, I will do two minutes of stretching.” The existing habit (brushing your teeth) acts as a powerful cue for the new one, automating the decision-making process.
