Module 7 · Planning & self-regulation · Supported by multiple studies

If–then planning

The best-studied planning technique: when X happens, I will do Y.

6 min read · Level: Beginner · Free — no account needed to read

The problem it solves

What is the single best-studied planning technique for acting on your intentions?

The concept

An implementation intention is an if–then plan: “If [situation], then I will [action].” It links a specific cue to a specific response, so the situation itself prompts the action.

It works because the decision is made in advance. When the situation arrives, you don’t have to remember, weigh options or summon motivation — you already know what to do.

The best plans are specific (“If it’s 7am and I’ve made coffee, then I will write for ten minutes”), realistic, and about something you genuinely want to do.

Why it matters

A meta-analysis of 94 tests found if–then plans had a medium-to-large effect on goal attainment compared with goal intentions alone, though effects vary and some later studies found smaller ones.

Supported by multiple studies: Many studies, often pooled in reviews or meta-analyses, point the same way. It still works better for some people and situations than others.

See it happen

Musa intends to stretch daily but it drifts to “later” every day.

The ordinary first approach

He’ll try to remember to fit it in somewhere.

With the idea

He writes: “If I finish brushing my teeth at night, then I will stretch for five minutes on the bedroom rug.”

What changed

The situation now carries the decision, so there’s nothing left to remember.

Easy to get wrong

• Making the “if” too vague to recognise.
• Writing if–then plans for goals you don’t actually want.
• Writing lots of plans at once, so none sticks.

Try it now: Write one if–then

1. Pick one habit you are working on.
2. Choose a situation that happens reliably and that you’ll recognise.
3. Write “If …, then I will …” and say it out loud once.

Apply it to one of your habits

Write an if–then plan for one of your habits.

Reflect

• Did the plan come to mind when the situation arrived?

Go deeper — evidence & sources

• Gollwitzer (1999). Implementation intentions: Strong effects of simple plans. American Psychologist. doi:10.1037/0003-066X.54.7.493
• Gollwitzer & Sheeran (2006). Implementation Intentions and Goal Achievement: A Meta-analysis of Effects and Processes. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology. doi:10.1016/S0065-2601(06)38002-1
• Adriaanse, Vinkers, De Ridder, Hox & De Wit (2011). Do implementation intentions help to eat a healthy diet? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the empirical evidence. Appetite. doi:10.1016/j.appet.2010.10.012