Write “what to do” as “if… then…”
Grade ABig benefitTimeFreeLittle timeNo willpower
Change “I plan to do this” into “If I sit at my desk at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, I’ll start by writing the introduction.” Across 94 separate studies, people who used this phrasing were far more likely to achieve their goals — this effect is moderate to large. All it requires is rewriting one sentence; there’s no expense and almost no extra effort.
- Cost
- No cost at all. Each step takes just 1–2 minutes — simply write a sentence like “If… then…”. For example: “If I sit at my desk at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, I’ll start by writing the introduction.”
- Benefit
- When all 94 studies are combined, individuals who expressed their plans as “if… then…” statements had significantly higher success rates. This technique is known in psychology as implementation intentions. The effect size here is d = 0.65, which qualifies as moderate to large. Three key moments benefit from this approach: initiating action, resisting distractions, and disengaging from tasks that seem impossible to complete.
- Notes
- This method works only for goals you genuinely want to achieve. If a goal holds no personal value for you, writing multiple such statements won’t help. Additionally, most research participants were students, and the studies focused on health-related habits; results may not translate directly to workplace settings.
Sources · 1
- Gollwitzer, P. M., & Sheeran, P. (2006). Implementation intentions and goal achievement: A meta-analysis of effects and processes. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 38, 69–119. doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601(06)38002-1