Why Willpower Fails and the Simple Habit Hacks That Actually Work

On this episode, we continue our conversation with Dr. Jonathan Bonnet—this time getting very practical about behavior change. We dig into the small, underrated “hacks” that actually make habits stick, from visual cues and environment design to making healthy choices the easiest option by default. We also talk through strategies for breaking habits you don’t want—like mindless scrolling or smoking—plus realistic approaches to sleep and stress that don’t require becoming a meditation monk. If you’re great at setting goals but struggle with follow-through, this bonus episode is all about closing that gap. Think less willpower, more systems that work with your brain instead of against it. To hear the rest of this bonus episode, come join the Foodie Fam! Sign up for our newsletter here! Check out our book ! Chat with us on IG @foodweneedtotalk ! Be friends with Juna on Instagram and Tiktok ! Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

You can listen to Why Willpower Fails and the Simple Habit Hacks That Actually Work online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Why Willpower Fails and the Simple Habit Hacks That Actually Work is an episode from Food, We Need To Talk by Juna Gjata.

This episode is 04:04 long.

This episode was published on Jan 26, 2026.

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