3.3.10.5. TED Talk

BJ Fogg — “Forget Big Change, Start with Tiny Habits”

This TEDx talk reinforces the central insight of this lesson: lasting change does not come from goals — it comes from systems built around small, repeatable habits. BJ Fogg, one of the most influential voices in behavioral science, challenges the traditional belief that big ambitions create big results. Instead, he demonstrates that meaningful change emerges from tiny, strategically designed behaviors that are easy to repeat and simple to sustain.

Fogg explains that motivation is unreliable. It fluctuates based on mood, energy, stress, and context — making it a poor foundation for consistent execution. Systems, however, are stable. When leaders create tiny habits anchored to existing routines, action becomes automatic rather than effortful. This shift transforms performance from something dependent on willpower into something driven by design and structure.

As you watch, pay attention to three core takeaways:

• Motivation cannot be trusted — design beats discipline.
  Big goals fail because they rely on high motivation. Tiny habits succeed because they do not require motivation at all. When a behavior is easy, it becomes consistent.
• Tiny habits are micro-systems.
  Small actions, placed intentionally inside daily routines, function as the building blocks of larger outcomes. They reduce friction, lower emotional resistance, and create a predictable path toward progress.
• Identity emerges from repetition.
  By performing small habits consistently, individuals begin to see themselves differently. Identity shifts not from ambition, but from evidence — the accumulation of repeated behaviors that reinforce who you are becoming.

As you engage with this talk, reflect on the following:

• Where are you relying on motivationrepeatable behavior?
• Which large goals could become achievable if broken into small, easy, system-based habits?
• How would your leadership change if progress became automatic instead of willpower-dependent?

This talk is not about inspiration — it is about engineering change. It reminds you that systems do the heavy lifting. Where goals point the way, tiny habits build the path. Where ambition surges, systems sustain. Where motivation fades, thoughtful design endures.

Consider revisiting this TEDx talk after you have implemented one or two tiny habits in your own leadership practice. As your systems begin to take root, the message will shift from aspirational theory to an accurate description of how you now operate.