You Don’t Need More Willpower: Change Is a Skill You Can Learn | Eric on The Happiness Lab with Laurie Santos

Eric Zimmer joins Dr. Laurie Santos on The Happiness Lab to discuss why lasting change is not about willpower but about building skills. Drawing on his own recovery and his book How a Little Becomes a Lot, Eric explains how starting smaller than expected creates momentum and rebuilds self-trust. The conversation covers how to identify goals rooted in personal values rather than social comparison, why we resist activities that make us feel better, and how concrete planning and environmental tweaks make follow-through easier. They also talk about the importance of anticipating setbacks and leaning on others for support.