Why We Fight the Changes We Know We Need | Jonah Berger

In this episode, Jonah Berger explains why we fight the changes we know we need. Jonah explains why pushing harder, piling on more reasons, or simply telling ourselves what we “should” do can actually create more resistance. Instead, he shares how identifying and removing the barriers to change can make transformation easier and more sustainable. They explore why small steps are often more effective than dramatic ones, how to work with our natural resistance, the hidden cost of staying with what’s “good enough,” and how the people around us quietly shape our choices. ⁠Good Wolf Reminders⁠ A little wisdom, right when you need it. Start receiving free text reminders designed to help you pause, reflect, and take meaningful action. Sign up at ⁠oneyoufeed.net/sms.⁠ Key Takeaways: Why pushing harder can actually make change more difficult How identifying barriers can make change easier Why giving ourselves choices reduces resistance How to turn a “should” into something we actually want to do Why starting small can be more effective than making a dramatic change How noticing the gap between what we say and what we do can motivate change Why “good enough” can keep us stuck longer than something that’s clearly bad How the immediate costs of change can overshadow its long-term benefits Why other people influence our choices more than we realize How becoming aware of those influences helps us choose them more intentionally For full show notes, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠How a Little Becomes a Lot: The Art of Small Changes for a More Meaningful Life⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is available now! Order your copy today! If you enjoyed this conversation with Jonah Berger, you might also enjoy these other episodes: Mimetic Desires in Everyday Life with Luke Burgis Effectively Thinking Ahead with Bina Venkataraman This episode is sponsored by: ⁠⁠⁠Monarch⁠⁠⁠: Take control of your finances with Monarch, the all-in-one personal finance app that helps you budget, track spending, monitor investments, and work toward your financial goals. Get 50% off your first year of Monarch Core, go to https://www.monarch.com/ and enter Promo Code: FEED ⁠⁠⁠⁠Quince:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Refresh your wardrobe with Quince by going to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Quince.com/feed⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. ⁠⁠⁠⁠ZocDoc⁠⁠⁠⁠ – Taking care of your health just got easier – ⁠⁠⁠⁠start here with Zocdoc⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠Shopify⁠⁠⁠⁠ – The commerce platform that helps you build, grow, and manage your business all in one place. Start your $1/month trial at ⁠⁠⁠⁠shopify.com/feed.⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pebl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ – an AI-powered platform that helps companies hire and manage global teams in 185+ countries. Get a free estimate at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠hipebl.ai⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tiny Health⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠‘s at-home gut health test provides science-backed insights into your microbiome, along with personalized recommendations to help you improve your digestion, energy, and overall well-being. Get $50 off your first test kit at⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ tinyhealth.com/FEED⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠ButcherBox:⁠⁠⁠⁠ Make dinnertime easier with ButcherBox, delivering high-quality 100% grass-fed beef, organic chicken, wild-caught seafood, and more, right to your door. Get $20 off your first box, plus your choice of free ground beef for life or free chicken thighs or top sirloins for a year, with free shipping always. Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠ButcherBox.com/FEED⁠⁠⁠⁠ to claim your offer. ⁠⁠⁠⁠Talkiatry⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ connects you with licensed psychiatrists for personalized, evidence-based mental health care, all online and covered by most major insurance plans. To get matched with an in-network psychiatrist in just a few minutes, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Talkiatry.com/FEED.⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices