Chapter 4 of 10All chapters
Chapter 4 of 10
Implementation intentions
If-then planning.
The technique
Specify when, where and how in advance: if it is Tuesday at 18:00, then I walk for twenty minutes. This has among the better evidence bases in behaviour change.
- It works because the decision is made once, in advance.
- Include a fallback: if the gym is closed, then I walk instead.
Why it helps
Most failures are not lack of desire but the moment of deciding while tired. Pre-deciding removes that moment entirely.