A Simple Formula to Achieve a Goal

Implementation Intention vs Goal Intention

"The best way to create an implementation intention is to write: When X happens, I'll do Y" ~ James Clear

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The Concept:

You have a goal that you want to achieve. Let’s say you’ve just accepted a new job and you want to get to know others at the office.

The traditional approach is called ‘Goal Intention’. You state your goal. “I plan to get to know others at the office.”

Psychologist Peter Gollwitzer (Gollwitzer, P. M. (1999). Implementation intentions: Strong effects of simple plans. American Psychologist, 54, 493-503.) introduced a better way, called ‘Implementation Intention’. It’s based on this formula: ‘If/When X happens, I will do Y in order to achieve Z’.

In our new job example it might look like this: “When I get to the office I will smile and say hello to each person I see in order to get to know everyone.”

Another example:
Goal Intention - “I plan to get in better shape.”
Implementation Intention - “When I see stairs, I will walk up/down them to get in better shape.”

James Clear wrote about Implementation Intention in his book, ‘Atomic Habits’.

Gollwitzer’s studies demonstrated that people are more successful in reaching a goal when they determine a specific location that then cues them to perform a specific act.

You probably practice implementation intention without realizing it, if you do things like scheduling an appointment for your dental check up and putting it on your calendar, or taking the trash out to the curb every Wednesday if that’s your known trash day, or filing your taxes electronically by April 15th. 

When you set a goal, then commit to a specific plan that includes location, time and repetition, you are much more likely to achieve it.

Getting Started

Here are a couple of examples to help you start setting your own Implementation Intention goals:

Example: You want to improve your relationship with your spouse/partner. You might make a plan that goes like this: every morning at home at 7am I am going to give my spouse/partner a hug and tell them how much I appreciate them. Your plan is specific – your location is ‘at home’, your time is ‘7am’, and your behavior is ‘hug and tell them how much I appreciate them.’  You can modify the location and time to fit your circumstances.

Or perhaps you realize that, when you get home in the evening, you are both tired and a little disconnected.  You can change the time to 6pm (or whatever works for your schedule) and completely change the harmony in your evenings.

Example: You want to have better relationships with your co-workers. Every day when you reach your desk at work you are going to go over to a co-worker and tell them that it’s nice to see them. 

Example: Got grandchildren?  How about every Wednesday at 6pm you call them to ask how their day went?  Or every Monday text them to say you love them.   

These are just a few examples.  The possibilities are nearly endless.  

Conclusion

If you want to reach a goal use Implementation Intention.

Write down your plan.  It would look something like this:

My goal = My Behavior at Location at Time, Ongoing.  Repeat.  You’ve got this!

What goals do you want to achieve? Can you write down your Implementation Intention?

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Thanks for reading. I appreciate you being here.😊

See you next week.

Heather

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