We've all heard the phrase. It usually shows up as a punchline in a bad sitcom or a low-brow joke among friends. But if we strip away the double entendre and look at the psychology of behavioral change, just put the tip in is actually one of the most sophisticated ways to rewire a human brain that is hardwired to resist change.
Change is terrifying. Your amygdala—that tiny, almond-shaped part of your brain—hates it. When you tell yourself you’re going to run a marathon starting tomorrow, your brain perceives that massive shift as a threat. It triggers a fight-or-flight response. You get anxious. You procrastinate. You fail. But when you trick the brain by promising to only "put the tip in," the alarm system stays silent.
The Science of Micro-Engagements
Stanford researcher BJ Fogg, who runs the Behavior Design Lab, basically built an entire methodology around this. He calls it "Tiny Habits." He doesn’t suggest you start a flossing routine by doing your whole mouth; he literally tells people to floss just one tooth. That is the "just put the tip in" philosophy applied to dental hygiene.
It sounds stupid. Honestly, it feels a bit patronizing to suggest that flossing one tooth or doing one push-up makes a difference. But the goal isn't the physical act of the push-up. The goal is the neural pathway of starting.
Neuroplasticity is the brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections. These connections are like trails in a forest. If you try to clear a four-lane highway through dense brush in one day, you'll be exhausted and quit. If you just walk the path once, you've made a tiny indentation. Do it again tomorrow. And the next day. Eventually, the path is clear.
Why the "All or Nothing" Mindset is Killing Your Progress
Most people fail because they think intensity matters more than consistency. It doesn't.
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James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits, often discusses the "Two-Minute Rule." The idea is that any new habit should take less than two minutes to do. If you want to read more, read one page. If you want to practice yoga, just roll out the mat. By agreeing to just put the tip in, you remove the friction of the "start."
Once the mat is rolled out, you're likely to do a stretch. Once you've read one page, you might read five. But the commitment—the only thing you're holding yourself to—is that tiny, non-threatening entry point.
Breaking Down Resistance in High-Stress Environments
This isn't just for fitness. It’s for deep work, too.
Psychologists often refer to "The Zeigarnik Effect." This is the tendency to remember uncompleted or interrupted tasks better than completed ones. More importantly, it suggests that once we start something, we feel a psychological "itch" to finish it.
The hardest part of any complex project—whether it's writing a book, coding a new app, or cleaning a garage—is the transition from "not doing" to "doing."
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If you look at the mess in your garage and think, "I need to spend eight hours here," you will find any excuse to avoid it. You’ll check your emails. You’ll suddenly find it necessary to organize your junk drawer instead. However, if you tell yourself you’ll just go out and organize the screwdriver rack—just put the tip in to the project—the momentum shift is palpable.
- You enter the space.
- You pick up one tool.
- Your brain registers the task as "in progress."
- The Zeigarnik Effect kicks in, making you want to do just one more thing.
Real World Application: Case Studies in Small Starts
Take a look at how elite performers use this.
Jerry Seinfeld famously used a wall calendar and a red marker. His only goal? Don't break the chain. He didn't have to write a brilliant 20-minute set every day. He just had to write. Even if it was one joke. Even if it was one line. He just had to start.
In clinical settings, therapists use a similar technique called "Exposure Therapy" for people with phobias. If someone is terrified of dogs, a therapist doesn't throw them into a kennel with a hungry Doberman. They start by looking at a photo of a dog. Then a video. Then watching a dog through a window. They are gradually "putting the tip in" to the experience until the nervous system desensitizes to the threat.
The Dopamine Loop
When you set a massive goal and don't reach it, your brain feels the sting of failure. Your dopamine levels drop. You associate that activity with negative emotions.
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When you set a "tip-in" goal—something so small it’s impossible to fail—you get a tiny hit of dopamine every time you succeed. Success breeds success. You start to see yourself as someone who "does the thing." Identity shift is the holy grail of behavior change. You stop being "someone trying to work out" and start being "a person who doesn't miss a day at the gym," even if some days you only stayed for five minutes.
How to Apply the "Tip In" Method Starting Now
Stop planning. Start shrinking.
If you want to write a novel, write 50 words today. That’s it. Stop at 50 even if you feel like doing more, just to prove to yourself that the barrier to entry is low.
If you want to start a meditation practice, don't buy a $50 cushion and try to sit for 30 minutes. Sit on your couch and take three deep breaths. Done.
Just put the tip in to the new version of your life. It feels like you're cheating, but you're actually hacking your biology.
Actionable Steps for Success
- Audit your "Big Goals": Look at anything you’ve been procrastinating on for more than a week.
- Find the "Tip": What is the 30-second version of that task?
- Commit to the Minimum: Make a deal with yourself that you only have to do the 30-second version.
- Track the Entry, Not the Result: Use a habit tracker where the "check-mark" is awarded for the start, regardless of how long the session lasted.
- Protect the Floor: Your "floor" is the minimum you do on your worst day. Even when you’re sick or exhausted, you can still "put the tip in."
The mistake we make is thinking that big results require big, heroic efforts every single day. They don't. They require a series of tiny, almost invisible starts that eventually snowball into an unstoppable force. Stop waiting for the perfect moment of high motivation. It isn't coming. Just start small.