3 'Pre-designs' for People Who Can't Stick to Their Goals
"I'll make waking up early a habit this year," or "I'll read for 30 minutes every day"—have you ever set goals like these, only to realize you didn't even last a week?
In fact, I believe the reason many people fail to achieve their goals isn't a lack of willpower, but rather a missing "design for after the goal is set."
Since I became independent at 34, I've set countless goals, and there was a clear difference between the ones that stuck and the ones that didn't. Today, I'd like to talk about the "pre-design for sustained action" that I've discovered through those differences.
Why goals don't stick even after you set them
There is a pattern that many people fall into.
It's that "the moment you decide on a goal, you feel like you've already achieved half of it."
In psychology, there is a phenomenon called the "goal-setting satisfaction effect," where simply declaring a goal releases reward chemicals in the brain, which can lower the motivation to actually take action.
When I was an engineer, I once decided at the start of the year that I would write a technical blog every day. I wrote it in big letters in my planner and even announced it on social media. But the result? I stopped on January 15th.
Looking back, although I had the goal of "writing every day," I hadn't decided "when, where, or what would trigger me to write" at all. I had a goal, but no blueprint for action. I feel this was the biggest reason it didn't last.
3 pre-designs to keep actions going
So, how can you turn goals into actions and keep them going? I'd like to introduce three design methods that I've practiced and found effective.
Step 1: Specifically decide "when and where"
The first thing you should do is clarify the "conditions" for your action.
Instead of just "reading," make it as specific as "after breakfast, on the living room sofa, I will open a book once I've poured my coffee."
This is a technique called "Implementation Intention," and its effectiveness has been proven in research.
The key is to tie it to an existing habit. In my case, I try to place a new habit immediately after an action I do every day, like "making morning coffee."
As for how to design it specifically, I recommend writing it out in the following format:
"After I [existing habit], I will [new action]."
For example,
"After I brush my teeth, I will do 10 squats."
"When I open my computer, I will check my task list first."
"When I get on the train, I will open the Kindle app."
By deciding in advance in this 'if-then' format, it becomes easier to take action without using willpower.
Step 2: Decide in advance 'what to do if an interruption occurs'
I believe this is the point that many people overlook.
When we set goals, we tend to plan on the assumption that everything will go well. But in reality, unexpected work comes up, we might feel unwell, or receive sudden invitations.
That is why it is important to design 'predictable obstacles' and 'how to deal with them' as a set.
I call this the 'if-then rule,' and for example, I decide things in advance like this:
"If I can't find time in the morning, I will do it in the first 10 minutes of my lunch break."
"If I am too tired to concentrate, I will do it even if it means halving the amount."
"If I get an invitation to go out for drinks, I will set a condition that I can only stay until 8:00 PM."
I call this 'Plan B design.' It means preparing an escape route in advance for when your main plan falls apart.
If you think about 'what should I do' after an obstacle occurs, you will usually decide that 'today is fine to skip.' But if you decide on a coping method in advance, you can move to an alternative action without even thinking.
Step 3: Decide on a 'minimum unit'
Finally, what is important is to set a minimum unit that says, 'If I do just this much, today is okay.'
For example, if your goal is 'to exercise every day,' I think the minimum unit can be 'one squat.' If it is 'to read every day,' 'reading one page' is enough.
You might wonder, 'Is there any point in that?' but this has an important purpose.
That purpose is 'not to break the streak.'
I feel that the thing to avoid most when building a habit is 'creating a zero day.' Once you break the streak, a feeling of 'I guess it's okay to quit' starts to emerge.
That is why you should decide on a minimum unit that you can achieve on any day. On days when you are feeling good, you can do your normal routine, and on days when it is absolutely impossible, you just complete the minimum unit. This allows you to maintain the feeling that you are 'keeping it up'.
The results of my own experience
Since incorporating these three designs, my habit consistency rate has changed significantly.
For example, there was a time when I set a goal to go to the gym three times a week.
Previously, I only decided to 'go three times a week' and ended up giving up after two months.
However, after incorporating pre-design, it became like this:
Fixed the conditions by deciding to 'leave the house at 8:00 AM on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays'
Prepared a Plan B by deciding that 'if I can't wake up in the morning, I'll just do 30 minutes at the gym near the office during lunch break'
Set the minimum unit as 'just going to the gym and changing clothes is enough'
As a result, I was able to maintain a pace of three times a week for eight months. Of course, there were weeks when I switched to my lunch break, and honestly, there were days when I just changed clothes and went home. But I never had a 'zero week.' I feel that this was the biggest factor.
Please try it with just one goal first
Since it's difficult to do all three designs I talked about today at once, I would like you to try focusing on just one goal first.
In particular, just deciding the 'when, where, and what triggers it' for the first one should make it much easier to take action.
I recommend doing this design while you are still in a 'motivated state' right after setting your goal. Motivation will inevitably drop. Creating a system that allows you to move when your motivation drops while you still have that motivation—I think this is the essence of consistency.
Archi provides features that allow you to manage these 'if-then rules' and 'minimum units' by linking them to tasks. If you record your goals and action designs as a set, it becomes easier to look back on them, so please feel free to use it.
📌 Would you like to learn more about creating systems?
Archi, a coaching tool developed by Yoshi, is a tool that designs a 6-step system to keep you going without relying on willpower. It specializes not just in setting goals, but in creating the very system that keeps your actions going. If you are interested, please take a look.