Trigger Control Sequence
Anticipate, avoid, or adjust to cues that pull behavior off course
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 6
- Confidence
- 99%
The Trigger Control Sequence treats behavior as an interaction between intention and environment. Start with the person you want to become, then identify the sights, sounds, words, people, places, or other stimuli that repeatedly push you away from that identity. Anticipate those cues before they arrive. If possible, avoid or remove them, because reducing exposure lowers the demand on willpower. When a cue cannot be removed, decide in advance how you will adjust your response so the environment does not select it for you. Review episodes afterward to improve the map. The goal is not total control, but shifting the balance toward deliberate action and away from automatic manipulation by surroundings.
Origin
Goldsmith developed the trigger model in his book Triggers to explain why people do not become the person they intend to be as daily environmental stimuli shape their behavior.
Core principles
- 01Any stimulus can alter behavior
- 02Awareness creates room between a trigger and a response
- 03Removing a trigger is easier than repeatedly resisting it
- 04When avoidance is impossible, prepare an adjusted response
- 05Behavior reflects both personal agency and environmental control
How to run it
- 1
Define the intended self
Describe the behavior of the person you want to become in concrete, observable terms.
Pro tip Focus on one recurring behavior at a time.
- 2
Map the triggers
Notice the stimuli that precede behavior inconsistent with that identity, including people, words, emotions, objects, and places.
Pro tip Record the cue immediately after an incident while the sequence is fresh.
Watch out Do not label the unwanted behavior itself as the trigger.
- 3
Anticipate exposure
Predict when and where each trigger is likely to appear so it does not arrive as a surprise.
- 4
Avoid what you can
Remove the stimulus or stay away from the setting when avoidance is practical and consistent with your responsibilities.
Pro tip Change the physical environment before relying on repeated self-control.
Watch out Avoidance is not always possible when the trigger is part of work or family life.
- 5
Adjust when you cannot avoid
Choose a replacement response in advance and use it when the trigger appears.
Pro tip Make the replacement response specific enough to rehearse.
Watch out Awareness without a planned response may still leave the old behavior as the easiest option.
- 6
Rebalance control
Review what happened and refine the environment or response plan. Track whether deliberate action is becoming more frequent.
In the wild
Goldsmith says that someone who wants to stop eating chocolate should remove it from the house when possible. If another household member keeps it there, the person should recognize the temptation in advance and decide how to adjust behavior when seeing it.
→ The person either eliminates exposure or meets it with a prepared response rather than an automatic one.
Common mistakes
Relying on awareness alone
Recognizing a cue does not specify what to do when it arrives. Pair awareness with avoidance or a prepared adjustment.
Assuming total personal control
Ignoring environmental influence leaves powerful cues unchanged and turns each exposure into another willpower test.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for habits and reactions with identifiable people, places, sights, sounds, words, or objects as cues.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal for problems driven primarily by missing knowledge, structural constraints, or medical conditions.
From the transcript
“it triggers in any stimulus may impact our behavior it could be a sight a sound a word a person any stimulus that impacts our…”
“how can i number one anticipate these triggers so then i can start becoming aware of them before they happen and anticipate them if possible…”
“if you can avoid the triggers avoid them”
From the episode
YAPClassic: Dr. Marshall Goldsmith on Becoming a Better Leader
YAPClassic