Creating specific goals

Gollwitzer and Parks-Stamm (2009) focused on a unique type of planning—an “if-then” to achieve optimised goal striving. This article emphasizes its effectiveness in achieving goals by linking situational cues ("if") to goal-directed behaviors ("then"). In short, the benefits include enhanced self-regulation, overcoming procrastination, and improved goal attainment across diverse domains such as health, education, and productivity.

Key Concepts:

1. Definition: If-then planning links an anticipated situational cue ("if") to a goal-directed response ("then").

   • Example: “If I feel tired, then I will take a 5-minute walk.”

2. Mechanism:

   • Automation: Promotes automaticity in behavior by associating a cue with a predefined action.

   • Attention Control: Focuses attention on critical opportunities to act.

   • Goal Shielding: Reduces distractions by narrowing focus on the goal.

     How to Implement If-Then Planning in Hypnotherapy:

     1. Identify Key Goals: Choose specific, achievable goals.

     2. Set Triggers: Define clear situational cues that are observable and recurring.

     3. Formulate Specific Actions:

        • Ensure actions are simple, actionable, and directly tied to the goal.

        • Example: "If I finish lunch, then I will immediately read for 20 minutes."

     4. Practice and Monitor:

        • Hypnotherapy will help rehearse plans mentally to enhance their automaticity.

        • Hypnotherapy allows you to absorb the desired outcomes and visually plan.

          To find out more information head over to:

        • https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Peter-Gollwitzer-2/publication/43193993_Goal_implementation_the_benefits_and_costs_of_IF-THEN_planning/links/55a8c9dc08aea3d0867c8df7/Goal-implementation-the-benefits-and-costs-of-IF-THEN-planning.pdf

        • ‪https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Vl1IDvYAAAAJ&hl=en