Implementation intentions: an if-then plan builder
“I’ll exercise more” is a wish. “I will walk for 20 minutes at 12:30 from the office front door” is a plan. Build one here.
Why being this specific helps
Gollwitzer’s idea is that an if-then plan hands control to the situation: when the “if” shows up, the response is already decided, so you don’t spend willpower deliberating.
One widely cited demonstration: in a 2002 study by Milne, Orbell and Sheeran, people who wrote down when and where they would exercise were far more likely to exercise in the following two weeks than those who were only given motivating information.
The phrasing that researchers and James Clear use is the same: I will [behaviour] at [time] in [location]. Swap the time for an existing habit and you have a habit stack.
Sources: Gollwitzer, P. M. (1999), American Psychologist; Gollwitzer & Sheeran (2006), Advances in Experimental Social Psychology 38; Milne, Orbell & Sheeran (2002), British Journal of Health Psychology.
Keep designing
- Habit trackerDesign habits with a cue, identity and 2-minute start, then stitch off each day.
- Habit stackingAnchor a new habit to one you already do.
- 2-Minute RuleShrink any habit until starting is easy.
- Tiny Habits recipeBJ Fogg’s anchor, behaviour, celebration.
- Temptation bundlingPair a “should” with a “want”.
- Habit scorecardAudit what you already do each day.
- Break a bad habitInvert the four laws into a plan.
- Morning routine builderA timed stack for the first hour.
- Printable trackerYour habits on a one-page monthly grid.
Questions
What is an implementation intention?
An implementation intention is an if-then plan that links a specific situation to a specific response: “If it is 7 am on a weekday and I am in the kitchen, then I will do ten minutes of stretching.” The concept was introduced by psychologist Peter Gollwitzer in the 1990s.
Do implementation intentions work?
A 2006 meta-analysis by Gollwitzer and Sheeran pooled 94 independent studies and found a medium-to-large effect (d = 0.65) on goal attainment compared with forming a goal alone. Effects vary by person and task, but it is one of the better-supported planning techniques.
How is it different from habit stacking?
Habit stacking is a special case: the “if” is an existing habit. Implementation intentions can also use times, places or situations, and they work for obstacles, such as “If I feel like skipping the gym, then I will just drive there and do one set.”
What is a coping plan?
A coping plan is an if-then plan for a predictable obstacle. Pairing a main plan with one or two coping plans helps you respond automatically when things go wrong instead of renegotiating the goal.