How can you make this easier?
Make changes stick by lowering friction.
When you struggle to change a behavior or build a new habit, ask yourself:
🤔 How can I make this easier?
We often don’t do the things that benefit us in the long run. Taking action requires enough motivation to overcome physical or mental friction, which is anything that makes a task harder. Physical friction includes distance, clutter, or missing equipment. Mental friction includes avoiding discomfort, fear of failure, or doubting yourself. Motivation is unreliable. It fades or disappears, especially when you’re tired, stressed, or overwhelmed. The less friction you face, the less motivation you need. If something matters but keeps getting skipped, lower the friction to make it easier to do.
Remove physical obstacles. Put workout clothes where you can easily reach them. Keep running shoes by the door. Make healthy food easy to access in the fridge. Plan meals ahead and keep ingredients ready. Leave a full water bottle on your desk. Choose a gym closer to home. Build the skills you need to do things smoothly. Set up automatic monthly deposits into a savings account. These small shifts make it easier to do what matters.
Tackle mental obstacles. Break big tasks into clear, simple steps to avoid overwhelm. Focus on the first small step you can take. Challenge fear or self-doubt by reminding yourself why it matters. Manage distractions with focused time blocks or by turning off notifications. Practice self-compassion when things don’t go perfectly. Build confidence by learning and practicing needed skills. These small shifts clear the path so you can keep moving toward what matters most.
Reducing friction is like taking your foot off the brake in a car or clearing a path through thick brush.
It works the other way too. Making unhelpful habits harder improves your chances of dismantling them for good. Move social media apps off your home screen to reduce temptation. Keep snacks out of sight or out of the house. Add extra steps between impulse and action, like locking your phone or leaving the TV remote in another room. Leave your cash and cards at home so you can’t spend money when you’re out. These small changes add enough friction to help you pause and choose what really matters.
Changing behavior isn’t about discipline. It’s about design. By lowering friction for what matters and raising it for what doesn’t, you reduce the need for motivation.
So pick a habit you want to build or a behavior you want to change, and ask yourself:
🤔 How can I make this easier?
