365QOD-Day102

3"If X occurs then do Y" - if then logic

Last night I was reading the Jan/Feb issue of Psychology Today and learned an important planning tool.
The tool is called the If-Then Solution.
http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/201102/the-science-success-the-if-then-solution

In the article the author, Dr. Heidi Grant Halvorson, discusses a technique that Peter Gollwitzer discovered for overcoming temptation and building good habits.  Most of us make wonderful plans, especially at the end of each year, to change aspects of our lives that we do not like or want to improve.

Often times these changes require willpower.  Well, the first time that cupcake presents itself you are strong and resist BUT within weeks you are mindlessly eating it and hating yourself for the lack of willpower.

Suppose you can replace the "I will not eat cupcakes and exercise more" resolution with a resolution of the following form:  If presented with a cupcake I will chose to drink a cup of coffee.  Now your brain has an option when presented with the X trigger and will do the Y choice.

"Amazingly, you are two to three times more likely to succeed if you use an if-then plan than if you don't.  In one study, 91 percent of people when used an if -then plan stuck to an exercise program, versus 39 percent of non-planners."

Often times once you have created an If-Then Solution the brain once triggered by the If part will unconsciously do the Then part.  Your plan will get carried out even when you are preoccupied.

Next time I get the chocolate craving that I get everyday(at least twice a day), I will take a walk around my office floor.  My If-Then Solution is:  If chocolate craving Then walk once around the office floor.  It should work.

Today's question is:
"What do you want that requires willpower that you can replace with an If-Then Solution?"