Nir Eyal: How to Build Products People Love Without Losing Focus

Unicorn Bakery - For the World's Most Ambitious Founders & Teams

In this episode of Unicorn Bakery, Nir Eyal, bestselling author of "Hooked" and "Indistractable", joins Fabian Tausch to discuss how to design habit-forming products, balance personal focus, and build a life free from distractions. Nir shares his unique insights on the psychology of habits, why most people misunderstand distraction, and how founders can create meaningful, ethical products that improve users' lives.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

• How to Build Habit-Forming Products:
• The Hook Model and how it helps create products that build healthy customer habits
• Why ethical design is critical when building products that people use frequently
• Becoming Indistractable:
• The difference between traction and distraction and why intent is everything
• How to master internal triggers—the root cause of most distractions—and take control of your time
• Time Management and Productivity:
• Why to-do lists often fail and how time-boxing can completely change how you work
• Practical strategies to prioritize reflective work over reactive tasks like emails and meetings
• Balancing Responsibility as a Founder:
• How to define your responsibility when building habit-forming products
• Why founders should consider a use and abuse policy to address overuse of their products
• Nir’s Approach to Angel Investing:
• How Nir chooses to invest in startups using the Hook Model to create positive, habit-forming products
• Examples of impactful companies Nir has supported, like Calm and Sunnyside, and how they create value

ALL ABOUT UNICORN BAKERY:

https://zez.am/unicornbakery

Where to find Nir:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nireyal/

Website: https://www.nirandfar.com/

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Chapters:

(00:00:00) Who did you write your books for and what is the message?

(00:04:11) As a founder, what responsibility do I have to the user-terms of consuming my product?

(00:09:18) How much can I leave users to their own responsibility to use my product and should I include safety elements in my product?

(00:17:07) How do you feel about the fact that too often overconsumption (e.g. alcohol) is laughed at rather than criticized because it is "normal"?

(00:21:16) Is too much self-optimization unhealthy, even if you are happy with your situation?

(00:23:49) What levers can I move if I feel too much outside influence is affecting my focus on my own projects?

(00:29:09) How important is repetition when you want to tackle things and make them happen, and how do you get rid of external triggers that distract you?

(00:38:32) What is your perspective on the topic of To Do - Lists?

(00:44:42) How does your knowledge of focus and productivity influence your work as an angel investor?