04-001 · EVIDENCE A · LOW-RISK READING
Write “what to do” as “if… then…”
把「打算做」写成「几点、在哪、遇到什么就做什么」
No cost at all. Each step takes just 1–2 minutes — simply write a sentence like “If… then…”. For example: “If I sit at my desk at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, I’ll start by writing the introduction.”
Change “I plan to do this” into “If I sit at my desk at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, I’ll start by writing the introduction.” Across 94 separate studies, people who used this phrasing were far more likely to achieve their goals — this effect is moderate to large. All it requires is rewriting one sentence; there’s no expense and almost no extra effort.
A
Move “Write “what to do” as “if… then…”” to Future Me's calendar
The excuse
The routine already works until the day the source says it may not.
What feels good now
Today I keep a few minutes and avoid interrupting my default routine.
What the source says
The source summarizes the return this way: “Change “I plan to do this” into “If I sit at my desk at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, I’ll start by writing the introduction.” Across 94 separate studies, people who used this phrasing were far more likely to achieve their goals — this effect is moderate to large. All it requires is rewriting one sentence; there’s no expense and almost no extra effort.” Evidence grade A. The original states the population, caveats, and sources; this is not a personal forecast.
Open the original entry, check who the evidence applies to, then pick one small step that fits.
THE ENGLISH EDITION
Original recommendation and evidence
1. Write “what to do” as “if… then…”
Cost: No cost at all. Each step takes just 1–2 minutes — simply write a sentence like “If… then…”. For example: “If I sit at my desk at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, I’ll start by writing the introduction.”
In plain terms: Change “I plan to do this” into “If I sit at my desk at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, I’ll start by writing the introduction.” Across 94 separate studies, people who used this phrasing were far more likely to achieve their goals — this effect is moderate to large. All it requires is rewriting one sentence; there’s no expense and almost no extra effort.
Benefit: When all 94 studies are combined, individuals who expressed their plans as “if… then…” statements had significantly higher success rates. This technique is known in psychology as implementation intentions. The effect size here is d = 0.65, which qualifies as moderate to large. Three key moments benefit from this approach: initiating action, resisting distractions, and disengaging from tasks that seem impossible to complete.
Evidence grade: A
Sources: Gollwitzer, P. M., & Sheeran, P. (2006). Implementation intentions and goal achievement: A meta-analysis of effects and processes. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 38, 69–119. <https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601(06)38002-1>
Notes: This method works only for goals you genuinely want to achieve. If a goal holds no personal value for you, writing multiple such statements won’t help. Additionally, most research participants were students, and the studies focused on health-related habits; results may not translate directly to workplace settings.
Read the complete Chinese source and notes
1. 把「打算做」写成「几点、在哪、遇到什么就做什么」
成本: 不花钱。每件事花 1 到 2 分钟，写一句「如果……就……」。比如「周二早 8 点坐到书桌前就先写引言」。
说人话: 把「我要做这件事」改写成「周二早 8 点坐到书桌前就先写引言」。94 项检验合起来算，这么写的人把目标做成的比例明显更高，属于中到大的效果。改的只是一句话的写法，不花钱，也不费力气。
收益: 把 94 项独立检验合起来算，先把打算写成「如果……就……」的人，目标达成率更高。这种写法在心理学里叫实施意图。效果大小 d = 0.65，算中到大。管用的环节有三个：开始动手、被打扰的时候顶住、从注定做不成的事上撤出来。
证据等级: A
来源: Gollwitzer, P. M., & Sheeran, P. (2006). Implementation intentions and goal achievement: A meta-analysis of effects and processes. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 38, 69–119. <https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601(06)38002-1>
备注: 这招只对你自己真想做的事有效。目标本身你就不想要，写再多句也没用。另外，这些研究找的多是学生，看的多是健康方面的习惯，搬到工作场景不一定同样管用。
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