Implementation Intention

A great phenomenon was discovered during a study in Great Britain. What is later called the Implementation intention. The discovery shows how powerful cues can be when implemented correctly.

The study was about an experiment on building better exercise habits over the course of 2 weeks.

The participants were divided into 3 groups and had different assignments;

The first Group had to track how often they are exercising.

Group 2 had to track their workouts and received read materials and lectures on the benefit of working out.

Group 3 had the same approach as group 2. However, group 3 had to plan out their workouts by day, time and place.

The results were outstanding. 

Almost 91% of Group 3 exercised at least once a week after the experiment. Whereas only 35% of the participants exercised once a week in the other groups.

The implementation intention strategy gives you details to your plan of action. It helps you transform from vague plans to concrete plans of action. It gives you the clarity and cue to start an activity or habit. 

By saying that you will do [activity] at [time] in [location]. You remind yourself that you have to do something at a certain time in a certain location. 

The implementation intention is a simple and effective exercise that you can do to start a habit.

Just fill in the sentence below when you want to start a habit;

I will [behavior] at [Time] in [Location]

This exercise forces you to acknowledge the upcoming event by pointing out that you have an activity on your schedule.

The implementation intention theory is one of the many habit building strategies described in the book atomic habits.