4 Laws of Behavior Change (and 9 Strategies) to Help Build Better Habits - Worksheet

Oct 13, 2026

Worksheet based on James Clear’s Atomic Habits outlining a structured process for building better habits. It guides the user to define a specific habit target and apply the 1st through 4th laws: make the cue obvious, make the habit attractive, make it easy via friction reduction or the two-minute rule, and make it satisfying through immediate rewards, habit tracking, or negative consequences. Includes selectable strategies and prompts for customizing cues, environment, motivation, and outcomes.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryForms

FormatPDF

Pages1

AccessFree to download

Habit Focus

Step 1: Make it Obvious

Step 2: Make it Attractive

Step 3: Make it Easy

Step 4: Make it Satisfying

4 Laws of Behavior Change (and 9 Strategies) to Help Build Better Habits Based on the book Atomic Habits by James Clear THE HABIT I WANT TO WORK ON IS: STEP 1: Make it obvious – the 1st law of behavior change. Research shows that all habits have a cue that triggers your brain to begin a behavior. In this step, the goal is for you to choose an obvious cue that will help you reliably start your habit. Below are two strategies to choose a cue. Pick one to use: • Create an intention with HABIT STACKING. To do this, you attach a new behavior to an existing one. The formula is: After [CURRENT HABIT], I will [NEW HABIT]. Ex: “After I turn on my computer, I will map out my day before I jump into work.” • Set up the environment for good habits. Give yourself visual cues to remind you to do your habit. For example, to drink more water, leave water bottles around you home and office. To run in the morning, set out your running clothes the night before (my husband puts his in the bathroom so he can’t say to himself,“I don’t want to wake Jenn so I’ll skip my run this morning.”) HOW WILL YOU MAKE YOUR CUE FOR YOUR NEW HABIT OBVIOUS? STEP 2: Make it attractive – the 2nd law of behavior change. Making your new habit attractive is about creating a craving that supplies the motivation to get you to do it! Below are 2 strategies from the book to make it attractive – choose one. • Use TEMPTATION BUNDLING. This is similar to HABIT STACKING. With this technique, you take something you crave (like checking Twitter or drinking a cup of coffee) and you promise it to yourself after you do the new habit. The formula is: After [HABIT I NEED], I will [HABIT I WANT]. For example,“After I write the agenda for my staff meeting, I will get a cup of coffee.” • Join a culture where the desired habit is the norm. If you want to play more music, join a band. If you want to do yoga, join a class. If you want ongoing professional learning in your life, join Jenn & Mitch’s Mastermind;) HOW WILL YOU MAKE YOUR NEW HABIT ATTRACTIVE? STEP 3: Make it easy – the 3rd law of behavior change. We tend to think that motivation is the key to habit change, but humans are wired to conserve energy. We prefer the easier path. So, what can we do to make a habit easy to do? Below are two techniques – pick one to try for your new habit! • Prime the environment to make your habits easier. In step one, you used the environment to create a cue to start your behavior. Here, the idea is to shape the environment to make it easier to complete the habit by adding or removing friction. To improve your diet: Chop and store a ton of fruits and vegetables in containers in your fridge. To decrease your TV watching: Unplug it after each use. To make it worse – take out the batteries from the remote as well. To improve work efficiency: Put your phone in another room when you work. • Use the TWO-MINUTE RULE to start your habits on a small scale. It’s hard to start a habit of doing 100 push-ups daily, but you can start small by doing just a few each day (get it, atomic habits…) Almost any habit can be broken down. Try this with yours: | Very Easy | Easy | Moderate | Hard | Very Hard | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Write 1 sentence | Write 1 paragraph | Write 1,000 words | Write a 5,000-word article | Write a book | HOW WILL YOU MAKE YOUR NEW HABIT EASIER? STEP 4: Make it satisfying – the 4th law of behavior change. Humans are primed for immediate satisfaction. However, the rewards of good habits (like healthy eating) often take a long time to produce results. It will help if you can get an immediate reward from doing your habit. Choose one of these strategies for your habit: • Reward yourself for the habit immediately. Find ways to give yourself immediate satisfaction. Want to develop a 30-second handwashing habit to stay safe? Consider buying nice smelling, extra foamy soap so the experience is pleasurable. Want an immediate reward for skipp

FAQs

How do I choose an obvious cue for my habit?

Pick a cue strategy such as habit stacking (“After [current habit], I will [new habit]”) or setting up your environment with visual reminders to reliably start your habit.

What are the strategies to make a new habit attractive?

Choose one approach: temptation bundling (pair the habit you want with something you crave) or join a culture where the desired behavior is the norm, such as a class or community.

How can I make my habit easier to start?

Reduce friction in the environment by adding helpful cues or removing obstacles, or use the two-minute rule by starting with a very small version of the habit each day.

Oct 13, 2026

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