Don’t Let Technology Get the Best of You with Nir Eyal

Nir Eyal

Nir Eyal is a husband, father, former professor at Stanford Graduate School of Business, and the International Best-Seller of two books: Hooked and Indistractable. Nir worked in the video gaming and advertising industries, where he used manipulative techniques to keep users distracted from their values. Now, he writes to help companies use positive behavioral techniques to form healthy habits that contribute to one’s traction toward their values. 

Today, we are going to be talking about what makes a habit-forming technology. Furthermore, we will be talking about the difference between a habit versus addiction and traction versus distraction. When an activity aligns with our values, it is known as traction. When an activity takes us away from our values, it is known as distraction. In this podcast, Nir goes over the four-step process to become indistractable. Step 1 focuses on mastering our internal triggers. Step 2 focuses on making time for traction. Step 3 focuses on hacking back external triggers. Lastly, Step 4 focuses on making precommitments to prevent distractions from happening. 

What You’ll Learn: 

[7:59]

Nir introduces himself and talks about the issue with screen time.

[10:08]

Nir talks about what makes a habit-forming technology.

[13:58]

Nir discusses his four-step process

[27:06]

Nir talks about earning boundaries.

[30:00]

Nir talks about the three things people need in life: Mastery, Autonomy, and Relatedness.

[43:11]

Nir talks about the third principle, Relatedness.

[46:48]

Nir advises fathers who haven’t been limiting their child’s screen time and what to do about it.

[50:24]

Nir tells us that we need to walk the walk, not talk the talk.