How I Stopped Procrastinating and Started Getting Things Done as a Solopreneur
Discover how you can transform your life by mastering these 3 elements of behavior change.
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Have you ever thought about how much simpler life would be if changing your habits wasn’t such a grind?
Well, here’s a little secret.
You don’t need a complete personality overhaul, superhuman willpower, or some mystical morning routine to flip the script.
You just need to master three simple things.
This framework that’s ridiculously simple, yet mind-blowingly powerful.
Let’s unpack how it works and, more importantly, how you can use it to make real changes starting today.
I've created this simple MAP (Motivation, Ability, Prompt) Checklist to help you get unstuck and actually get things done. Skip to the bottom of this post to download your checklist.
The Fogg Behavior Model
Developed by Dr. BJ Fogg, a behavioral scientist at Stanford, the Fogg Behavior Model explains that every behavior, big or small, happens when three things come together:
Motivation (your desire to do it)
Ability (your capacity to do it easily)
Prompt (the cue that reminds you)
If one of these is missing or weak, the behavior won’t happen.
Simple? Yes.
But revolutionary? Absolutely.
Understanding the Fogg Behavior Model
Now, let’s take a quick look at this visual that neatly ties everything together.
The Fogg Behavior Model illustrates how behavior occurs when Motivation, Ability, and a Prompt converge at the same moment.
Motivation: The Why Behind the Action
Motivation fuels your willingness to act. It’s the emotional charge — excitement, urgency, fear, love — that pushes you toward doing something.
Quick tip:
Don’t rely on motivation alone because it fluctuates. Focus instead on designing behaviors that don’t require sky-high motivation to happen.
Ability: How Easy It Is to Take Action
Ability answers the question: “How simple is it for me to do this?”
When something’s easy, you’re way more likely to follow through — even if your motivation dips.
Example:
Setting up auto-bill pay for your utilities versus remembering to mail a check every month.
Prompt: The Nudge You Need
Even if you’re motivated and the action is easy, you still need a reminder to act. That’s where the prompt comes in. A good prompt is perfectly timed and impossible to miss.
Example:
A push notification reminding you to stand up every hour if you’re trying to avoid a sedentary lifestyle.
Key Components:
Motivation: Shown on the vertical axis, ranging from low (bottom) to high (top). Motivation is the desire or willingness to perform a behavior.
Ability: Shown on the horizontal axis, ranging from hard to do (left) to easy to do (right). Ability refers to how simple or difficult the behavior is to perform.
Prompt: A trigger or cue that initiates the behavior.
Action Line:
The curved green "Action Line" separates the area where prompts succeed (above the line) from where they fail (below the line).
When a person is above the action line (either because motivation is high, ability is high, or both), a prompt will successfully lead to the desired behavior.
Below the action line, prompts will fail because either motivation is too low, the task is too difficult, or both.
How It Works:
High Motivation, Low Ability: If someone really wants to do something but finds it hard, they may still succeed if their motivation is high enough.
Low Motivation, High Ability: If a task is very easy, even low motivation can be enough for a prompt to succeed.
Low Motivation, Low Ability: If motivation is low and the task is hard, prompts will fail to produce the behavior.
For a behavior to happen, a person must have sufficient motivation, enough ability, and receive a prompt, all at the same moment.
If any element is lacking, the behavior is unlikely to occur.
The model is a practical framework for designing behavior change interventions, habits, and products.
A Real-World Example
Behavior: Publishing your business website.
Motivation (M):
You’re eager to land clients and build your brand.
Ability (A):
You’ve chosen a simple website builder (like Wix or Framer) that doesn’t require coding knowledge.
Prompt (P):
You set a reminder on your phone and block off two hours in your calendar specifically to hit “Publish.”
If one of these elements is missing?
Boom. no website launch.
Low motivation? You keep procrastinating.
Low ability? You get overwhelmed by tech stuff and quit.
No prompt? Days slip by without progress.
By dialing in your Motivation, Ability, and Prompt, you’re setting yourself up to actually make it happen.
Why This Matters: Stop Blaming Yourself
Here’s a game-changer — if a behavior isn’t happening, it’s not because you’re lazy or weak.
It’s because one (or more) of these three elements isn’t aligned properly.
Maybe you aren’t motivated enough.
Maybe it’s too hard.
Maybe you didn’t get the right reminder.
And guess what?
Once you know this, you can tweak the system instead of beating yourself up.
How Solopreneurs Can Apply the Fogg Behavior Model for Success
How can you, a busy hustling solopreneur, actually use this model to grow your business and hit those big, impossible goals?
Simple.
You can use Motivation, Ability, and Prompt like levers to make smart, strategic moves every single day.
Here’s how:
1. Boost Your Motivation by Connecting to Your Bigger “Why”
Running a solo business isn’t a walk in the park, and motivation naturally goes up and down.
That’s why it’s crucial to tie your daily tasks to a bigger purpose.
Are you building your brand to create freedom for your family?
Are you trying to make a real impact in your community?
When you connect boring tasks (like sending follow-up emails or posting on social media) to a deeper mission, motivation shoots up and the behavior line moves in your favor.
2. Make Actions Way Easier
If something feels complicated or overwhelming (hello, building a landing page from scratch 😵💫), chances are you’ll keep putting it off.
The fix?
Shrink the task until it’s laughably easy.
Instead of “write my entire ebook,” start with “outline 3 bullet points.”
Instead of “launch my full website,” begin with a one-page landing site.
Pro Tip:
Use tools designed for solopreneurs, like Canva for quick design work or Kit for easy email marketing. These make it almost too easy to take action.
3. Set Clear, Unmissable Prompts
Busy solopreneurs wear a thousand hats. If you’re waiting for the “perfect time” to take action, trust me.
It won’t just magically appear.
You need strong prompts to nudge you at the right moment.
Schedule calendar reminders for important tasks.
Use project management tools like Trello or Notion to visually track progress.
Set your workspace up with visual prompts (like sticky notes on your laptop).
Prompts are the little sparks that ignite action before your brain even has time to make excuses.
A Mini Diagnosis Table for Solopreneurs:
If you’re feeling stuck, frustrated, or constantly procrastinating, ask yourself:
Once you spot the problem area, tweak it and watch your momentum come back to life!
How You Can Start Changing Your Life Today
Ready to take charge?
Here’s how to start:
Pick one behavior you want to change.
Keep it small — the smaller, the better at first.
Check your MAP:
Is your motivation high enough? Can you make it easier? Do you have a reliable prompt?
Tweak the weakest link.
Boost your motivation, lower the difficulty, or set a better prompt.
Experiment and adjust.
Behavior change is a science project, not a pass/fail test.
Final Thought
Solopreneurship is all about creating momentum out of thin air.
By applying the Fogg Behavior Model, you turn behavior change from a guessing game into a simple formula you can tweak and control.
Small shifts = Big wins.
Instead of muscling through with grit and hustle alone, work smarter:
⚡ Boost motivation,
⚡ Make things easier,
⚡ Set smart prompts —
and watch your business (and your life!) transform.
Remember:
✅ Motivation
✅ Ability
✅ Prompt
🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
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FREE MAP Checklist for You!
I've created this simple MAP (Motivation, Ability, Prompt) Checklist to help you get unstuck and actually get things done.
This checklist has personally helped me:
Stop overthinking and start taking action
Break down overwhelming projects into doable steps
Create better habits that actually stick
Ready to boost your productivity?
Download your free MAP Checklist now! 🚀
The easier a behavior is to do,
the more likely the behavior will become habit.
- B.J. Fogg
Interesting Substack Posts I Read This Week:
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How to Write About 1 Topic in 32 Different Ways (Without Repeating Yourself) by Matt Giaro ⚙️
Copy That Sings: How to Hook Your Reader With Rhythm by Raj Sidhu
Read This Before You Call Anything ‘Good’ or ‘Bad’ by Hunter
Should You Choose a Niche? Here’s What Most Creators Get Wrong by Mark Wils
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Anfernee
Keep doing your thing Anfernee.
As your work and Knowledge VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE experience shows thru your work. Which drew my attention, leading, and inspiring me to learn.
As I spend time using the applications you mentioned. It has cleared some foggy areas for my self.
Where areas I can see in others individual business, solopenuars ( I can’t spell that, I will by the end of the day)
Just opened a GUMROAD ACCOUNT minutes ago.
Wanted to share that with you.
You share your experience and knowledge . I wanted to share the process of my journey as it was your shares that helped 💯💯
Thx for the mention my friend :)