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self-initiated-triggers skill

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This skill helps design internal triggers for sustained engagement by shifting users from external prompts to self-motivated habits.

npx playbooks add skill flpbalada/my-opencode-config --skill self-initiated-triggers

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---
name: self-initiated-triggers
description:
  Design internal triggers for sustained user engagement. Use when building
  habit-forming features, improving retention without notifications, or
  transitioning users from external prompts to self-motivated engagement.
---

# Self-Initiated Triggers - From External Prompts to Internal Motivation

Self-Initiated Triggers (Internal Triggers) are emotional states or situations
that prompt users to engage with a product without any external reminder. They
represent the goal state of habit formation - when users think of your product
automatically in response to specific feelings or contexts.

## When to Use This Skill

- Designing for long-term retention
- Reducing dependency on push notifications
- Building sustainable engagement loops
- Understanding user motivation patterns
- Creating products that become "default" solutions
- Reducing user acquisition costs through organic return

## Core Concepts

### External vs. Internal Triggers

```
External Triggers              Internal Triggers
(Pushed to user)               (Pulled by user)
      |                              |
      v                              v
+-------------+               +-------------+
| - Push      |               | - Boredom   |
|   notif     |   Journey     | - Anxiety   |
| - Email     | ----------->  | - FOMO      |
| - Ads       |               | - Loneliness|
| - WOM       |               | - Curiosity |
+-------------+               +-------------+
      |                              |
      v                              v
   Expensive                     Free
   Interruptive                  Seamless
   Declining effect              Strengthening
```

### The Trigger-Product Association

```
Emotion/Situation          Product Association
       |                          |
       v                          v
   "I feel bored"    -->    "I'll check Instagram"
   "I have a question" -->  "I'll Google it"
   "I feel anxious"   -->   "I'll check Slack"
   "I'm waiting"      -->   "I'll open TikTok"
```

### Trigger Types

| Trigger         | Emotion                             | Example Products              |
| --------------- | ----------------------------------- | ----------------------------- |
| **Negative**    | Boredom, anxiety, loneliness, FOMO  | Social media, news, messaging |
| **Positive**    | Curiosity, excitement, anticipation | Learning apps, games          |
| **Situational** | Waiting, commuting, winding down    | Podcasts, reading apps        |
| **Routine**     | Morning, mealtime, bedtime          | News, meditation, fitness     |

### Building Internal Triggers

```
Phase 1: External Trigger
   "We sent you a notification"
              |
              v
Phase 2: Association Forming
   Repeated: Trigger → Action → Reward
              |
              v
Phase 3: Internal Trigger Emerging
   Emotion alone triggers action
              |
              v
Phase 4: Automatic Habit
   No conscious thought needed
```

## Analysis Framework

### Step 1: Identify Target Emotions

Research questions:

- What emotional state precedes product use?
- What are users feeling when they reach for the product?
- What situation or context triggers engagement?

| User Segment | Primary Emotion | Secondary Emotion | Context      |
| ------------ | --------------- | ----------------- | ------------ |
| [Segment 1]  | [Emotion]       | [Emotion]         | [When/Where] |
| [Segment 2]  | [Emotion]       | [Emotion]         | [When/Where] |

### Step 2: Map Current Trigger Mix

```
External Triggers          Internal Triggers
[_____________________]    [_____________________]
        80%                         20%

Target state:
[_____________________]    [_____________________]
        30%                         70%
```

### Step 3: Design Trigger Strengthening

| Strategy                 | Implementation                       |
| ------------------------ | ------------------------------------ |
| **Repeated pairing**     | Consistent context → action → reward |
| **Emotional resonance**  | Design for target emotion            |
| **Ritual creation**      | Encourage routine usage              |
| **Social reinforcement** | Others validate the behavior         |

### Step 4: Measure Trigger Strength

| Metric                           | Weak Trigger | Strong Trigger |
| -------------------------------- | ------------ | -------------- |
| Return frequency without prompts | Low          | High           |
| Time to return after absence     | Long         | Short          |
| Usage without notifications      | Rare         | Common         |
| Self-reported "automatic" use    | Never        | Often          |

## Output Template

```markdown
## Internal Trigger Analysis

**Product:** [Name] **Date:** [Date]

### Target Internal Trigger

**Primary emotion:** [Emotion] **Trigger context:** [Situation when emotion
occurs] **Desired association:** "When I feel [emotion], I [product action]"

### Current State

| Engagement Type          | % of Sessions |
| ------------------------ | ------------- |
| Push notification driven | [X%]          |
| Email driven             | [X%]          |
| Self-initiated           | [X%]          |

### User Research Findings

**Interview insight 1:** "[Quote about when/why they open the product]"
**Interview insight 2:** "[Quote about emotional state]"

### Trigger Strengthening Plan

| Strategy     | Action            | Expected Outcome |
| ------------ | ----------------- | ---------------- |
| [Strategy 1] | [Specific action] | [Metric impact]  |
| [Strategy 2] | [Specific action] | [Metric impact]  |

### Success Metrics

| Metric                      | Current | Target | Timeframe |
| --------------------------- | ------- | ------ | --------- |
| Self-initiated sessions     | [X%]    | [Y%]   | [Months]  |
| Return without notification | [X%]    | [Y%]   | [Months]  |
```

## Real-World Examples

### Example 1: Twitter/X

**Target emotion**: Boredom + need for stimulation **Association built**: "I
have a spare moment → I'll check Twitter"

**Mechanisms**:

- Variable reward (always new content)
- Quick dopamine hits
- FOMO reinforcement
- Endless scroll removes end point

### Example 2: Slack

**Target emotion**: Anxiety about missing information **Association built**: "I
feel out of the loop → I'll check Slack"

**Mechanisms**:

- @mentions create urgency
- Channel activity visible
- "Unread" counts create incompleteness
- Professional FOMO

### Example 3: Duolingo

**Target emotion**: Guilt + achievement desire **Association built**: "I should
be productive → I'll do a lesson"

**Mechanisms**:

- Streak creates obligation
- Short lessons fit spare moments
- Progress visualization rewards
- Guilt as internal trigger (healthy or not)

## Ethical Considerations

### Healthy vs. Unhealthy Triggers

| Aspect                | Healthy                  | Unhealthy                 |
| --------------------- | ------------------------ | ------------------------- |
| **Emotion exploited** | Curiosity, growth desire | Anxiety, loneliness, FOMO |
| **User outcome**      | Feels better after use   | Feels worse or unchanged  |
| **Sustainability**    | Long-term satisfaction   | Short-term with regret    |
| **Control**           | User feels in control    | User feels compelled      |

### Design for Wellbeing

- Target positive emotions where possible
- Ensure product delivers on emotional promise
- Provide usage awareness tools
- Allow notification customization
- Design satisfying end points

## Best Practices

### Do

- Research actual emotional triggers (don't assume)
- Design reward to match the emotional need
- Create consistent context-action pairings
- Make first action extremely simple
- Measure self-initiated engagement separately

### Avoid

- Relying solely on external triggers long-term
- Exploiting negative emotions irresponsibly
- Breaking user trust with manipulative patterns
- Ignoring the emotional aftermath of use
- Designing without usage boundaries

## Integration with Other Methods

| Method                  | Combined Use                         |
| ----------------------- | ------------------------------------ |
| **Hooked Model**        | Internal triggers are the goal state |
| **Fogg Behavior Model** | Trigger is the T in B=MAT            |
| **Jobs-to-be-Done**     | Emotional jobs are internal triggers |
| **Loss Aversion**       | Fear of loss as internal trigger     |

## Resources

- [Hooked - Nir Eyal](https://www.nirandfar.com/hooked/)
- [The Power of Habit - Charles Duhigg](https://www.amazon.com/Power-Habit-What-Life-Business/dp/081298160X)
- [Atomic Habits - James Clear](https://jamesclear.com/atomic-habits)

Overview

This skill helps teams design internal triggers that drive sustained, self-motivated user engagement. It focuses on turning external prompts into emotional or situational cues that naturally pull users back into a product. Use it to build habit-forming features that reduce reliance on notifications and improve long-term retention.

How this skill works

The skill inspects user emotions, contexts, and current trigger mix to identify which feelings most often precede product use. It maps external vs. internal triggers, prescribes strategies to strengthen associations (repeated pairing, rituals, emotional resonance, social reinforcement), and defines metrics to measure trigger strength. It outputs a practical analysis template and a targeted strengthening plan.

When to use it

Designing for long-term retention and lower churn
Reducing dependency on push notifications and emails
Transitioning users from prompted to self-initiated behavior
Building habit loops for routine or situational use cases
Improving organic return and lowering acquisition costs

Best practices

Research real emotional states—don’t assume motivations
Design rewards that align with the target emotion
Make the first action extremely simple and repeatable
Create consistent context → action → reward pairings
Measure self-initiated sessions and time-to-return separately
Avoid exploiting negative emotions or undermining user wellbeing

Example use cases

A news app creating morning routines so users open it during breakfast without notifications
A learning product using short, satisfying lessons to turn curiosity into repeated practice
A productivity tool designing visible progress and small rituals to reduce anxiety-driven checking
A social app optimizing situational triggers (commute, waiting) to become the default moment filler
A health app using positive emotions and rituals to make activity logging self-initiated

FAQ

How do I identify the primary internal trigger for my users?

Run qualitative interviews and diary studies asking what emotion or situation led them to open the product. Look for recurring patterns across segments and validate with event timing and contextual analytics.

What metrics show a strong internal trigger?

Rising share of self-initiated sessions, shorter time-to-return after absence, frequent usage without notifications, and self-reported ‘automatic’ or habitual use.