The gap between intending and doing
Almost everyone who writes a development goal intends to pursue it. The trouble arrives on an ordinary Tuesday: a client escalation, a late meeting, a tired evening. The goal is still important; it just loses to whatever is in front of you.
Psychologist Peter Gollwitzer called the fix an implementation intention: deciding in advance when, where and how you will act, in the form "if situation X arises, then I will do Y".
What the evidence says
In 2006, Gollwitzer and Paschal Sheeran pooled 94 independent studies. People who formed if-then plans reached their goals considerably more often than people who only held the goal, with a medium-to-large average effect (d = 0.65). The effect showed up across health, study, environmental and work behaviours.
The mechanism is simple. The "if" part makes the situation easier to notice; the "then" part makes the response automatic enough that you do not have to deliberate when willpower is low.
Writing if-then plans for professional goals
Start from the obstacle, not the ideal day.
| Goal | Likely obstacle | If-then plan |
|---|---|---|
| Present at the quarterly review | I get asked to "just send the slides" | If I am asked to send slides instead, then I offer to walk the team through them in 10 minutes |
| Practise delegation | A task is urgent and I grab it | If something urgent lands, then I name who owns it before I touch it |
| Train four mornings a week (professional athlete) | Travel days break the routine | If I am travelling, then I do the 30-minute hotel-room mobility session before breakfast |
| Build pipeline for a consulting business | Delivery work fills the week | If Thursday is fully booked, then I send three follow-up emails at 8.30 on Friday |
Good plans share three features: the cue is concrete and observable, the response is small enough to do immediately, and there is only one plan per obstacle.
Common mistakes
- Vague cues. "If I have time" never arrives. "If it is 8.30 on Friday" does.
- Heroic responses. "Then I will work all weekend" will not be followed. Pick the smallest action that keeps the goal alive.
- Too many plans. One or two per goal. The power comes from a strong link between one cue and one response.
Put it into your plan
Next to each live goal, write the single obstacle most likely to stop you and your "if-then" response. In Jobulary this is an optional sixth line when a goal goes live, and it sits on the goal card where you will see it every week. For the bigger picture, see how to write an IDP that survives week six.
Frequently asked questions
What is an implementation intention?
A pre-decided response to a specific situation, written as 'if X, then I will Y'. It links a cue you will notice to an action you have already chosen, so you do not have to decide in the moment.
How effective are if-then plans?
Gollwitzer and Sheeran's 2006 meta-analysis of 94 independent studies found a medium-to-large effect on goal achievement (d = 0.65) compared with simply intending to reach the goal.
How many if-then plans should I make?
One or two per goal, aimed at the most likely obstacle. Dozens of plans dilute the cue-response link that makes them work.
Sources
- Gollwitzer & Sheeran (2006), Implementation intentions and goal achievement: a meta-analysis of effects and processes
- Gollwitzer, Implementation intentions (overview, US National Cancer Institute)
Topics: Goal setting · Behavioural science