Intentions: the quiet science of 'when X, then Y'

Motivation is weather. It comes and goes, and any plan built on it collapses on the first grey Tuesday. What behaviour change research offers instead is something far more dependable: the implementation intention.

The evidence

In a large meta-analysis covering nearly a hundred studies, psychologist Peter Gollwitzer showed that people who form specific "when X happens, I will do Y" plans are dramatically more likely to follow through than those who simply intend to change. Not because they want it more — but because the decision has already been made. The moment arrives, and the behaviour runs on rails.

Your day is already full of anchors

You wake up. You get in the car. You open your laptop. You hear the adhan or your calendar pings for a meeting. These moments happen every single day without any effort from you — which makes them perfect anchors:

• When I wake up → three slow breaths before touching my phone.
• When I get in the car → set one intention for where I'm going.
• When I open my laptop → one breath, one priority.
• When I put the kettle on → stand tall, drop my shoulders.

Each anchor takes seconds. Together they turn an ordinary day into a practice of intentional awareness.

How it works here

In the portal, share your normal Monday-to-Friday routine under Intentions. I'll look at where your days naturally turn — and send you back a small set of personal intent anchors built around moments you already live. Small, specific, repeated: that's how change actually holds.