Why We Fight the Changes We Know We Need | Jonah BergerWhy We Fight the Changes We Know We Need | Jonah Berger
The One You Feed
Eric Zimmer talks with Jonah Berger about why people resist the changes they say they want and how easing barriers, using small steps and smart questions can make change more likely. The conversation touches on social influence, personal motivation and practical strategies for shifting habits.
48:35•18 Sept 2026
Why Good Intentions Aren’t Enough: Jonah Berger on Making Real Change Stick
Episode Overview
- Pushing harder with more reasons or pressure often triggers resistance rather than change.
- Start with small, manageable steps that sit inside someone’s (or your own) zone of acceptance.
- Highlight gaps between what you say you value and what you actually do to spark self-driven change.
- Look at the long-term costs of inaction instead of only today’s effort or discomfort.
- Be aware of how other people and environments shape your choices so you can choose more helpful influences.
“Drawing attention to those inconsistencies encourages us to do the work to change them.”
What drives someone to seek a life without staying stuck in old patterns? This conversation between Eric Zimmer and behavioural scientist Jonah Berger looks at why people resist the very changes they say they want – whether it's cutting back on social media, exercising more, or even tackling addictive habits. Jonah shares research where thousands of people were asked how they try to change themselves or others. A huge 98% said they simply "push": more reasons, more pressure, more self-lectures.
As Jonah puts it, that works fine on a chair, but "people dig in their heels". Instead of pushing harder, he suggests asking a different question: why hasn't this changed already, and what’s in the way? You’ll hear practical ideas like starting with tiny steps rather than grand overhauls, and breaking big changes into “stepping stones” so they actually stick.
The story of the Thai Health Promotion Foundation’s smoking campaign shows this beautifully: instead of lecturing smokers, children asked them for a light, then handed them a note saying, "You worry about me. Why not yourself?" That simple nudge highlighted the gap between what people said and what they did, and quit-line calls jumped.
For anyone wrestling with sobriety or other life changes, the episode offers useful tools: turning "shoulds" into "wants", making change feel like your own choice, and looking at the hidden long-term cost of staying with what’s “good enough”. Jonah also talks about how friends, family and culture quietly shape our decisions, and why being aware of those influences helps you choose better support as you feed your good wolf.
If you’re tired of feeling stuck and wondering why good intentions don’t turn into action, this chat might be the spark that helps you change how you change. What’s one small step you could take today that’s actually within your comfort zone?
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