Implementation Intention — If/Then
A two-minute planning move: rewrite a goal as "If X happens, then I will do Y" so the trigger is pre-decided and daily willpower is removed.
An implementation intention is a two-minute planning move: rewrite a goal as "If X happens, then I will do Y" so the trigger is pre-decided and daily willpower is removed from the equation. It is a behaviour-design technique for turning intentions into automatic responses.
The practice
Convert a goal into a sentence of the form "If X happens, then I will do Y." For example: "If it is 7 a.m., then I put on my running shoes."
By naming the trigger in advance, you pre-decide the response and take daily willpower out of the equation.
Where it fits in a day
- While planning: the two-minute exercise pairs naturally with setting a goal.
- Before the trigger occurs: the sentence must be written ahead of the moment it points to.
- Anywhere a habit keeps slipping: attach the if/then to a recurring cue like a time of day.
Why it works
- Pre-deciding the trigger removes daily willpower from the equation.
- The fixed "if X, then Y" structure links the cue directly to the action.
- At two minutes, the practice costs almost nothing to apply to a new goal.
Category
Focus. A behaviour-design practice that pre-commits a response to a chosen trigger.
Related protocols
Sources
AgeGen mental-recovery practices are drawn from authoritative health agencies. We never claim therapeutic effects unsupported by the linked sources.
