“I know what I should do, but I still don’t do it.”
We know that going to bed earlier would probably make us feel better, yet we keep scrolling on our phones.
We would like to exercise more, but we postpone starting until the following week.
We have an important task to begin, but somehow we always find something else to do first.
In these situations, it is easy to reach one conclusion: “I just don’t have enough willpower.” But is that really the case?
Research on human behaviour suggests a more complex picture: knowing that something is good for us and intending to do it does not necessarily mean that we will turn that intention into action.
There is a psychological gap between knowing and doing that is worth understanding.
What does science say?
Psychology studies what is known as the intention–behaviour gap: the difference between what we intend to do and what we actually end up doing.
Intentions matter, but they only explain part of our behaviour.
A meta-analysis by Webb and Sheeran found that changes in intentions produced significantly smaller changes in actual behaviour. In other words, wanting to do something does not guarantee that we will do it.
This phenomenon has also been extensively studied in relation to physical activity. A meta-analysis by Rhodes and de Bruijn found that a considerable proportion of people who intend to be physically active do not fully translate that intention into behaviour.
Why does this happen?
Because our actions are not driven solely by conscious decisions.
Many other factors come into play: habits, context, emotions, tiredness, opportunities, immediate rewards, automatic responses and planning. Think about using your phone before going to sleep.
On the one hand, you know that putting it away and getting enough sleep would probably be better for you. But most of the benefit will come tomorrow.
On the other hand, videos, messages and new content are available right now.
The choice, therefore, is not simply between “what I know is right” and “what I know is wrong”, but between behaviours that offer different costs and benefits in the present and in the future.
Habits also play a role
We do not make every daily decision from scratch.
When we repeatedly perform a behaviour in similar contexts, certain features of our environment can become cues associated with that response.
Stress → I open social media.
Sofa → I turn on the TV.
Notification → I check my phone.
Habits allow us to perform many behaviours without having to consciously deliberate each time. However, they can also make it more difficult to translate a new intention into action.
Research on habits highlights precisely this relationship between behaviour and context.
From intention to planning
One strategy that has been studied as a way of facilitating the transition from intention to action is the use of implementation intentions.
Instead of simply saying: “I want to exercise more,” we can establish:
“On Tuesday at 6 p.m., after work, I will exercise for 20 minutes.” Another possibility is to use an:
“If X happens, then I will do Y” structure.
This is not a formula that guarantees change. Rather, it helps us specify when, where or under which circumstances we intend to perform a behaviour, reducing some of the uncertainty present at the moment of action.
Concrete benefits
Understanding the intention–behaviour gap can help us replace one question with another.
Instead of: “Why don’t I have enough willpower?”
we can ask: “What is making this behaviour difficult to put into practice?”
The difference matters.
In the first case, we are making a judgement about ourselves.
In the second, we are looking for information about our behaviour.
We might realise that our goal is too vague, that the first step feels too demanding, that we are waiting to feel motivated, or that our environment constantly makes the alternative behaviour easier.
This awareness does not automatically remove the difficulty, but it can help us identify more specific and potentially modifiable obstacles.
How to start in a simple and sustainable way
1. Make your intention concrete
“I want to sleep more” is a goal.
“At 10:30 p.m., I will leave my phone charging outside the bedroom” describes a behaviour.
Ask yourself: What will I do? When? Where?
2. Make the first step smaller
You do not have to start with the ideal version of the behaviour.
If the goal feels too demanding, try asking yourself:
“What is the smallest version of this action I could realistically start with?”
3. Use an “if… then…” plan
For example:
If I finish dinner, then I will prepare everything I need for tomorrow’s workout.
Creating a clear link between a situation and an action can help facilitate the transition from intention to behaviour.
4. Look at your environment
Ask yourself: “Does my environment make what I want to do easier or harder?” Sometimes we do not need to increase our effort. Instead, we can try to reduce the obstacles.
5. Don’t wait for perfect motivation
Motivation can fluctuate.
If a behaviour always depends on feeling motivated at that particular moment, maintaining it may become difficult.
Planning when to start can be more useful than waiting until you feel like doing it.
6. If it doesn’t work, look at what happened
Instead of: "I failed again,” try asking yourself: “At what point did my plan break down?”
What did I intend to do?
What did I do instead?
What got in the way?
What could I change next time?
Something that did not work can become useful information for your next attempt.
Conclusion
Knowing is important, but it is not always enough.
We can know exactly what we would like to change and still find it difficult to translate that intention into behaviour.
This does not necessarily mean that we are lazy, inconsistent or lacking in willpower.
It may simply mean that between the goal and the action there are still obstacles to understand and strategies to build.
Sometimes change does not begin by asking: “How can I try harder?” but rather: “How can I make the first step simpler and more concrete?”
If this issue is affecting your daily life and you feel stuck in the same patterns of behaviour, we can explore the mechanisms behind them together.
Contact me: your first consultation is free.
