For years, we’ve been told that willpower and repetition are the keys to forming habits. But the truth is, habits don’t stick because of repetition—they stick because of emotion!
In this all-time classic episode, Dave brings together two of the world’s top habit experts—BJ Fogg, PhD, and James Clear—to break down the real science of behavior change. BJ, the Stanford researcher behind Tiny Habits, explains why motivation, ability, and the right prompts are the real drivers of habits. Meanwhile, Atomic Habits author James Clear reveals how small decisions compound over time to shape your entire life.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
• Why willpower and repetition don’t work—and what actually makes habits stick
• The tiny changes that create massive, lasting results
• How emotions play a bigger role in habit formation than you think
• The hidden power of stacking small habits for exponential growth
• How to automate your decisions to free up brainpower for bigger goals
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Resources:
• Dave Asprey’s New Book - Heavily Meditated: https://daveasprey.com/heavily-meditated/
• BJ Fogg’s Website – https://www.bjfogg.com/
• James Clear’s Website: https://jamesclear.com/
• 2025 Biohacking Conference: https://biohackingconference.com/2025
• Danger Coffee: https://dangercoffee.com
• Dave Asprey’s Website: https://daveasprey.com
• Dave Asprey’s Linktree: https://linktr.ee/daveasprey
• Upgrade Collective – Join The Human Upgrade Podcast Live: https://www.ourupgradecollective.com
• Own an Upgrade Labs: https://ownanupgradelabs.com
• Upgrade Labs: https://upgradelabs.com
• 40 Years of Zen – Neurofeedback Training for Advanced Cognitive Enhancement: https://40yearsofzen.com
Timestamps:
• 00:00 – Intro
• 00:39 – Understanding habits
• 01:10 – Layering habits with James Clear
• 01:49 – BJ Fogg’s Tiny Habits method
• 03:03 – The science of habit formation
• 05:49 – Practical habit-building tips
• 09:57 – Emotions vs. repetition in habits
• 18:02 – Ability & context in habits
• 21:19 – Genes, dopamine & behavior
• 26:20 – Final thoughts
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