In today’s lesson, we’ll wrap up the last method to increase your follow through and commitment by up to 113%.
Video Lesson
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Time: 4:56
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Click full screen (lower right corner) to increase the size
Lesson Summary
Method 11: Use if-then planning
If-then planning has been proven to increase a person’s likelihood to maintain a routine by 133%.
Here’s how if-then planning works:
Take whatever behavior you want to achieve and attach a contingency to it.
**“If ________, then ________.” **
For example:
“If* it is Monday, Wednesday, or Friday, then I will run for 30 minutes.*”
This is the exact process I used to run my first 50k (31 miles). I created a spreadsheet that included the distances I would run on every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Then, I reminded myself that, “If it is Monday, Wednesday, or Friday, then I will complete my running workout as described in my spreadsheet.” The simple process allowed me to train effectively for over five months and run my first 50k, training only three days a week. Routine for the win!
And it’s not just me.
In Succeed: How We Can Reach Our Goals, Dr. Heidi Grant Halvorson described a study focused on if-then planning. In the study, participants were asked to plan where and when they were going to exercise. For example, “if it’s Monday, then I will go for a run in my neighborhood.”
The results?
Several months later, 91% of the if-then planners continued to exercise, compared to only 39% of the control group—a 133% increase.
And it ain’t just exercise…
Another study by the University of Konstanz wanted to see how if-then planning affected students’ behavior. In the experiment, students were given either simple goal intentions (“I will ignore distractions!”) or an if-then construct (“If a distraction comes up, then I will ignore it!”).
The findings were impressive. As you probably guessed, students using the if-then construct had
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improved task shielding (meaning they weren’t distracted),
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faster response times in an ongoing categorization task, and
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shorter periods of looking at distractions.
This held true regardless of the children’s temperament and language competency. Students who just used the simple goal intentions (“I will ignore distractions!”) saw no improvement whatsoever.
It’s worth repeating that students who used if-then planning got distracted less frequently—and for shorter periods of time—than students who didn’t use if-then planning.
Why if-then planning works?
There are two reasons.
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Our brains are hardwired for contingencies, such as “If an ape hurls poop at me, then duck.” That’s how we learn and develop our thinking—so it makes sense to use this language to alter our behavior.
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If-then planning creates a link in your brain between your trigger (the “if”) and your action (the “then”).
Use if-then planning
Now, write down your goals using if-then statements.
Here’s a snazzy-looking table to get you started:
Remember the study about how saying “I don’t” is 64% more effective than saying “I can’t”?
Take advantage of both: combine “I don’t” with an if-then construct for maximum effect.
So, for example:
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If it’s a weekday, then I don’t eat unhealthy snacks
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If I’m working, then I don’t work past 5 p.m.
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If it is glue, then I don’t sniff it
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If people are talking about someone behind their back, then I don’t contribute to the conversation
Do this:
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Congratulate yourself on a job well done. (I know this sounds cheesy, but it’s proven to work. So tell yourself “I did it!” whenever you follow through by finishing video.)
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Move items from your kanban to your “Done” column. This makes you aware—both visually and kinesthetically—of your accomplishment.
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Use the 11 techniques to improve your follow-through.
Module Summary
In this module, you learned that willpower is limited—and since habits don’t drain willpower, they are more effective for following through.
You also learned about dopamine’s importance to forming new habits, and that you can naturally increase your dopamine levels by following through and congratulating yourself on a job well done.
You also learned 11 different methods for following through, which you can use the next time you procrastinate.
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