Book · 2019
Tiny Habits
by BJ Fogg
A Stanford behavior scientist argues that the smallest version of a habit — not willpower — is the one that actually sticks.
What does Reddit think of Tiny Habits?
r/getdisciplined leads with 7 mentions and the book's most upvoted moments: a ↑182 comment calling it "the first book that actually helped me build habits," and a ↑151 thread walking through the Maui Habit — wake up, stand up, say the words. The formula gets laid out explicitly in r/productivity (↑67): behavior equals motivation times ability times prompt, plus celebration. That framing matters because it positions BJ Fogg not as a James Clear imitator but as the academic upstream of Clear. Reddit makes this point directly. The ↑51 r/productivity comment calls it "not a ripoff of Atomic Habits" and notes Fogg's research is the foundation books like Atomic Habits are built on. Activity peaked in 2022 with 7 mentions, then dropped sharply.
Community feedback & reader fit
Themes
- · Behavior design formula: motivation × ability × prompt
- · Tiny starting points over ambition-sized goals
- · Celebration as a habit-formation mechanism
- · BJ Fogg as the academic source behind pop-habit books
- · The Maui Habit as a case study
- · Comparison to Atomic Habits
Common praise
- + r/getdisciplined commenters report it as the first habit book that produced actual results, not just motivation.
- + The Maui Habit gets cited by name and walked through step-by-step, which means readers retain the specific technique.
- + Reddit positions Fogg as the researcher whose work Atomic Habits is based on, which gives the book credibility that Clear's doesn't have.
- + The behavior formula (motivation × ability × prompt) gets explained clearly enough that r/productivity readers reproduce it verbatim.
Common criticism
- − After peaking at 7 mentions in 2022, it dropped to 1 mention in 2023 and 1 in 2024, suggesting it doesn't build a sustained following.
- − Most r/selfimprovement mentions are list appearances — it gets recommended but rarely discussed at length.
- − The Atomic Habits comparison dominates the conversation; Tiny Habits rarely gets evaluated on its own terms.
Who it's for
You've read Atomic Habits and found it motivating but vague on the mechanics. Fogg is the researcher Clear drew from, and this book explains the behavior design framework rather than packaging it for inspiration. r/getdisciplined regulars specifically recommend it when someone says habit books haven't worked — the pitch is that you're starting too big, not that you're weak. If you want the academic infrastructure behind the genre, this is closer to the source. Readers who already have a working system probably find it redundant.
Mentions over time
Top subreddits
Which Reddit comments matter for Tiny Habits?
The most relevant excerpts across the subreddits where this book is mentioned — opinionated, argued takes first, then top-upvoted mentions. Click through to read the full thread.
“Read Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg. It's the first book that actually helped me build habits. You're not weak, but there is no point in me telling you that because you feel weak. The way to build 'strength' is to make small promises to yourself everyday and keep them. When I say small, I mean small. Not go…
“I recommend the maui habit from BJ Fogg (Tiny Habits). When you wake up, and you stand up from bed, say the words 'Today is going to be an awesome day.' It's extremely easy to do, but has a powerful impact for the rest of the day
“If you like Atomic Habits, then you'll love Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg. It breaks down everything and even comes with a pdf for habit formation
“I suppose! * Stop with so many sticky notes, dump each thought/idea into a notebook and plan a time to organize them. * Pick only one Hard task to do a day, and plan it after you do some smaller tasks, get some energy/steam rolling. * Everyone thinks someone is paying close attention to what the…
“Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg. He designed Stanfords behavioral Science lab. Suggests behavior = motivation x ability x prompt. What OP is saying is basically what tiny habits says. Add celebration each time you do it and you’ll really create that habit
“>Some of my favorite books >Tiny Habits: BJ Fogg The concise 48 laws of power (and honestly all of Robert Greene's books are decent) 7 habits of highly effective people 33 immutable laws of marketing The forbidden keys of persuasion How to become a rainmaker The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs T…
“A similar book called Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg is worth reading. It’s a bit more concise. It’s not a ripoff of Atomic Habits either; it’s written by a Stanford professor who has done the academic research that books like Atomic Habits are based on. Despite being written by a PhD, it’s easy to understa…
“If anyone wants to expand on the excellent ideas from the above comment, check out the following two books: 1. One Small Step Can Change Your Life: The Kaizen Way by Robert Maurer 2. Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg
“This reminds me of a great piece of advice from the book "Tiny Habits" by BJ Fogg. He said you should wake up, put your feet on the ground, and say "today will be great day!". Except *sometimes you aren't feeling it*; one lady he talked to adjusted the phrase to: * "Today will be a great day...so…
“The book Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg would be a big help here in setting those micro goals. sr2k00 basically described his methods, but the book goes in-depth on behavior change. I think, in addition to professional counseling, the book would help OP. Also, OP, recognize that porn is addictive poison…
“Tiny Habits Stanford researcher something Fogg. Google it. It is shocking how a little bit of almost imperceptible effort helped an upward spiral for me.
“An excellent closely related book is "[Tiny Habits: The Small Changes That Change Everything](
“James Clear also has a bunch of downloadable worksheets on his website. I got into Atomic Habits before reading Tiny Habits, so perhaps that’s one reason I prefer it. But I think I mostly preferred Clear’s writing style, he is as his name suggests, clear, concise and always refers to research. I fel…
“Behavior change is a skill. Your first attempts will likely fail. But, like all skills, you can get better at it over time. Thinking of behavior change this way made me a lot kinder towards myself, and made me more willing to try new things. The idea is from *Tiny Habits* by BJ Fogg.
“This is basically the Tiny Habits concept by BJ Fogg. Very useful, actually, and backed by science.
Convinced? Pick up Tiny Habits
What else does r/getdisciplined read?
Other books mentioned in the same sub, ranked. Shared-sub overlap with this title breaks ties.
Guides featuring Tiny Habits
Ranked best-of lists and editorial guides where this book's tracked mentions place it.
Tiny Habits — frequently asked
Is Tiny Habits just a knockoff of Atomic Habits?+
No, and Reddit says this explicitly. A ↑51 r/productivity comment makes the case directly: Fogg is a Stanford professor whose research is the academic foundation that Atomic Habits is built on. Tiny Habits was written by the upstream source, not an imitator. The books overlap in subject matter but Fogg's frame — behavior equals motivation times ability times prompt — is more mechanistic than Clear's identity-based approach.
What does r/getdisciplined say about Tiny Habits?+
It's the most active sub in the data, with 7 of the book's 18 total mentions. The top comments are specific: a ↑182 thread names it the first habit book that actually worked, and a ↑151 comment walks through the Maui Habit in detail. These aren't vague endorsements — commenters are citing specific techniques by name, which is a decent proxy for the book landing.
Should I read Tiny Habits if Atomic Habits already worked for me?+
Probably not. The Reddit data shows Tiny Habits gets recommended most often when Atomic Habits is mentioned as insufficient or when someone says habit systems haven't worked for them. If Clear's framework is functioning, the marginal gain from Fogg is low. The two books share enough structural ground that reading both is mostly redundant unless you want the academic scaffolding behind the popular version.
Is Tiny Habits still being discussed on Reddit?+
Less than it was. Activity peaked at 7 mentions in 2022, dropped to 1 in 2023 and 1 in 2024, then recovered slightly to 2 in 2025. It gets recommended, read, and not often revisited.