271. Rethinks: The Key to Lasting Behavior Change

An episode of the Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques podcast, hosted by Matt Abrahams, Think Fast Talk Smart, titled "271. Rethinks: The Key to Lasting Behavior Change" was published on March 12, 2026 and runs 23 minutes.

March 12, 2026 ·23m · Think Fast Talk Smart: Communication Techniques

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Summary

The secret to building habits that stick.Whether you want to read more books or exercise more regularly, BJ Fogg has good news. “Habits are easier to form than most people think,” he says, “If you do it in the right way.”As the founder and director of Stanford's Behavior Design Lab, Fogg has devoted much of his career to researching human psychology, motivation, and behavior. According to him, habit formation isn’t a product of simply doing something over and over again. “It's not a function of repetition,” he says, “it's a function of emotion.”As Fogg discusses with host Matt Abrahams in this Rethinks episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, bringing our behavior in line with our goals is easier than we think — we just have to know the emotional levers to pull.Episode Reference Links:BJ Fogg Fogg's Book: Tiny HabitsConnect:Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart PremiumEmail Questions & Feedback >>> [email protected] Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart WebsiteNewsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.ioThink Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTubeMatt Abrahams >>> LinkedInChapters:(00:00) - Introduction (02:44) - The Information-Action Fallacy (04:27) - The Behavior Model: Motivation, Ability, Prompt (06:07) - Designing a Reading Habit (07:45) - What Is a Habit? (10:54) - Making Paraphrasing a Habit (13:31) - Specificity vs. Repetition (15:50) - Choosing Habits You Enjoy (16:48) - The Final Three Questions (21:55) - Conclusion ********Thank you to our sponsors. These partnerships support the ongoing production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost.Strawberry.me. Get 50% off your first coaching session today at Strawberry.me/smartJoin our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be.

Episode Description

The secret to building habits that stick.

Whether you want to read more books or exercise more regularly, BJ Fogg has good news. “Habits are easier to form than most people think,” he says, “If you do it in the right way.”

As the founder and director of Stanford's Behavior Design Lab, Fogg has devoted much of his career to researching human psychology, motivation, and behavior. According to him, habit formation isn’t a product of simply doing something over and over again. “It's not a function of repetition,” he says, “it's a function of emotion.”

As Fogg discusses with host Matt Abrahams in this Rethinks episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, bringing our behavior in line with our goals is easier than we think — we just have to know the emotional levers to pull.

Episode Reference Links:

BJ Fogg
Fogg's Book: Tiny Habits

Connect:

Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium
Email Questions & Feedback >>> [email protected]
Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website
Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io
Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube
Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn

Chapters:

(00:00) - Introduction
(02:44) - The Information-Action Fallacy
(04:27) - The Behavior Model: Motivation, Ability, Prompt
(06:07) - Designing a Reading Habit
(07:45) - What Is a Habit?
(10:54) - Making Paraphrasing a Habit
(13:31) - Specificity vs. Repetition
(15:50) - Choosing Habits You Enjoy
(16:48) - The Final Three Questions
(21:55) - Conclusion

********
Thank you to our sponsors. These partnerships support the ongoing production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost.

Strawberry.me. Get 50% off your first coaching session today at Strawberry.me/smart

Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be.