An implementation intention takes the form of “if situation x arises, then I will perform response y” or “when x happens, then I will do y” (Gollwitzer, 1993). Pre-planning the anticipated environmental cue is a way to prime the mind and brain. Switching from conscious effort to an automatic response is less taxing for the prefrontal cortex. Consider this example. Say you want to exercise five mornings a week. One obstacle is that you don’t want to get out of bed when the alarm rings, so you hit the snooze button. An if-then implementation intention would be, “When the alarm rings and I want to hit the snooze button, I will begin my stretching and warmups, get out of bed and put on my workout gear.”
Research studies (Achtziger et al., 2009) have demonstrated that imagining yourself achieving the desired goal in as much detail as possible, identifying and mentally contrasting both the benefits and the current obstacles, increases the likelihood of goal achievement. In other words, merely imagining the desired outcome is not sufficient and may even decrease motivation. The best strategy is to contrast the desired positive future with the present negative reality.
Mental contrasting is “cognitively demanding” and increases neural connections in the brain that associate current obstacles with future reinforcements. Mental contrasting draws on working memory (prefrontal cortex organizing other areas), episodic memory (temporal lobes), and the occipital area, which receives visual input from the retina. In contrast, visualizing a positive outcome alone, while enjoyable, is seen by these researchers as “mindless daydreaming” and is not as taxing to the brain. A key finding here is the importance of visualizing both the current and future states while at the same time proactively planning how to overcome the current negative obstacles.
Integration of Mind/Body/Movement (Leading Yourself)
Because we were experimenting with a multi-modal, multi-sensory approach to goal-setting, we wanted to include a final experience that integrated the various modes we had introduced. Our brains and body are interconnected. Research supports the link between our gut and our brain (Breit et al., 2018) and between our hearts and brains (Thayer & Lane, 2009). More neural pathways are going from our hearts to our brains than from our brains to our hearts (McCraty, 2015).
We learn patterns of how to relate to others from our earliest caregivers. This formative learning results in implicit memories (Siegel, 2020), specifically how to respond emotionally. Researchers (Reilly et al., 2016) discovered that memories are stored in our bodies and may be resistant to change. Studies in post-traumatic stress (Van Der Kolk, 1994) have demonstrated that emotional memories are stored in the limbic system and need to be accessed through somatic methods. Physically moving while imagining different mindsets and behaviors can access these deeply held mind-body circuits and provide insights that help people work toward a goal (Rogers, 2012). (Zull, 2002) suggested that in order to learn, individuals need an integration of sensory input, thinking, and movement.
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