Motivation Wave

What is the motivation wave?

The Motivation Wave is a concept developed by BJ Fogg, a researcher and behavior scientist at Stanford University. The Motivation Wave is a key component of Fogg's Tiny Habits framework, which focuses on using small, achievable habits to promote behavior change.

The Motivation Wave describes the natural ebb and flow of motivation that individuals experience over time. According to Fogg, motivation is not a constant state, but rather varies depending on a variety of internal and external factors. For example, an individual might feel highly motivated to start exercising in the morning, but by the end of the day, their motivation may have diminished.

How the idea is used

Fogg describes stronger motivation as a time when difficult actions may be more feasible. When motivation falls, making the action easier becomes especially relevant in his model. The wave illustrates this variation in motivation.

It does not follow that people should build habits by waiting for high motivation. The design implication is to consider how an action could remain feasible when motivation is lower, and to distinguish an initial burst of activity from sustained repetition.

Source: Fogg’s account of the Motivation Wave. This explains his concept rather than demonstrating an effect for a particular habit program.

Motivation wave example

Suppose someone feels unusually enthusiastic about walking more. They could use that period to get suitable shoes, choose a nearby route, and place the shoes by the door. For an ordinary day with less motivation, they could define a smaller action: after lunch, put on the shoes and walk to the end of the block.

This is a hypothetical application of the model: preparation reduces what must be arranged later, and the smaller action asks less of a low-motivation day. Buying shoes or completing one walk is preparation or initial behavior, not evidence of a durable habit. Continued repetition would need to be observed over time.