• Your actions have causes.
• Those causes go back in time.
• They include your genes.
• They include your fetal environment.
• They include your childhood and trauma.
• They include your culture and class.
• They include your hormones and brain chemistry today.
• They include what just happened a second ago.

All of these are things you did not choose.
They interact in your brain.
They make you who you are at each moment.
When you “decide,” that decision comes from this whole history.
There is no extra, separate “free will” floating above your brain.
There is just cause and effect, all the way down.

Sapolsky says this means we should rethink blame and praise.
People still do harmful things.
We still need to protect others and prevent harm.
But pure moral condemnation—“you freely chose evil”—doesn’t fit the science he presents.

Instead, he argues we should see behavior as good or bad luck plus biology and environment, and design justice and social policy more around prevention, treatment, and protection than

Citizens’ assemblies are groups of ordinary people.
They are chosen by lottery, not elected.

The group is made to match the population.
That means a mix of ages, genders, regions, and backgrounds.

They meet for several days or weekends.
First, they get clear, balanced information about a public issue.
They can question experts and hear different viewpoints.

Then they talk in small groups with a trained facilitator.
Everyone gets a chance to speak and listen.

After discussing, they work toward recommendations.
These are suggestions for laws or policies.

Their report goes to politicians or the public.
The idea is: “What would the public think if it had time to really learn and discuss?”

Here are a few tiny habits you can start today, inspired by BJ Fogg and James Clear’s “start small” approach.

Yeah, they sound silly.

Fitness Example

“One push-up” habit

• After you brush your teeth at night, do 1 push-up.
• If you feel like more, do more—but 1 is always a win.

“One-minute walk” habit

• After you put on your shoes in the morning, walk for 1 minute (even just around your home).
• Over time, extend it to 5–10 minutes.

Writing / Creativity Example

“One sentence” habit

• After you open your laptop, write one sentence toward your project (blog, book, newsletter).
• More is optional; one sentence keeps the habit alive.

“One idea” capture

• After lunch, jot down one idea or observation in a notes app or notebook.
• This builds a daily creative log with almost no friction.

Mindfulness Example

“One breath” pause

• After you sit down at your desk, take one slow, deep breath before touching your phone or keyboard.
• Optionally, expand to 3–5 breaths as it becomes easy.

“One-minute no-phone” Buffer Example

• When you get into bed, set a 1-minute timer where you don’t touch your phone—just lie still or think about the day.
• Over time, stretch it to 5–10 minutes of no-phone wind-down.

The key is to make each habit so small it feels almost silly, attach it to something you already do (“after I… I will…”), and give yourself a tiny mental “good job” each time.