“If-Then Planning” Technique: A Structured Approach to Achieving Your Goals
Make steady progress towards some big changes.
Today’s big idea comes from an article, not a book. We will follow an article — A Tool to Help You Reach Your Goals in 4 Steps1 by Heidi Grant, published in HBR. To apply this idea, I will use the goal of leaving your corporate job to become a full-time Substack writer — to demonstrate and explain this technique. It is just more effective to be as specific as possible.
The Great Resignation wasn't just about people quitting their jobs; it was about people realising that the traditional career path is about as relevant as a fax machine in 2024. Substack, with its promise of direct connection to readers and potential for actual, you know, income, has become the promised land for many.
But how do you get from here (miserable team meetings) to there (writing about your niche obsession with 1970s conspiracy theories to a devoted audience)? That's where "if-then planning" comes in.
If-Then Planning
At its core, if-then planning is about creating a series of triggers and actions. It's like programming yourself.
Here's how it works:
Identify the goal: In this case, it's "Quit my soul-sucking corporate job and become a full-time Substack writer."
Break it down: Because "become a full-time writer" is about as specific as "be happy," we need to get granular:
Build a consistent writing habit
Grow my Substack subscriber list
Create a financial safety net
Identify obstacles: This is where you channel your inner pessimist (shouldn't be hard if you've been in corporate long enough):
Lack of time due to 60-hour work weeks
Fear of financial instability
Imposter syndrome telling you your writing sucks
Create if-then statements: This is the magic. You're essentially creating a choose-your-own-adventure book, but for your life:
If it's 6 AM, then I'll write for an hour before work.
If I get my paycheck, then I'll immediately transfer 20% to my "Escape Fund."
If I feel like my writing isn't good enough, then I'll read encouraging comments from my existing subscribers.
Rehearse and implement: Repeat these to yourself until they're as ingrained as your morning coffee routine.
A Real-World Example
Let's say your subgoal is to build a consistent writing habit. Here's how that might look:
If-then plan: "If it's 9 PM and I'm done with dinner, then I'll write 500 words for my Substack, no matter how tired I am."
Obstacle: "But what if I'm exhausted from a day of corporate BS?"
Counter-plan: "If I'm too tired to write at 9 PM, then I'll wake up at 5 AM the next day to write before work."
See what we did there?
The Harsh Truth.
Here's the thing: if-then planning isn't going to magically transport you from your cubicle to a cozy writing nook overnight. It's not going to make your boss less of a micromanager.
What it will do is give you a framework to actually follow through on your plans. It's the difference between vaguely thinking "I should write more" and actually sitting down to write those 500 words about whatever your Substack topic is.
Now, if you've finished reading this article, then it's time to open a new document and start planning your escape.
💡I would also recommend you visit HBR’s article — A Tool to Help You Reach Your Goals in 4 Steps1 by Heidi Grant, which was my resource for my blog post. What’s special about this article is that it’s interactive, and you get to follow the four steps to set your goal. It’s great.
Here’s what I’ve created👇
