Framework · Behavioral science
Implementation intentions and fresh starts
Writing "if situation X arises, I will do Y" links a cue to an action and reliably raises follow-through (about d = 0.65 across 94 tests). New weeks, months and other landmarks lift goal pursuit. Use a when-and-where picker in onboarding and fresh-start timing for win-back. If-then A-/B+; fresh start B; bundling C.
Plain label: if-then plans and timing landmarksAlso known as: if-then planning, fresh-start effect, temptation bundling, when and where prompt
If-then plans. A meta-analysis of 94 tests (8,000+ participants) found a mean effect of about d = 0.65; a later 642-test update found broad but smaller effects, larger with strict if-then wording and high motivation Evidence grade A. Robust evidence: replicated, peer-reviewed research.. F21 (Implementation intentions and goal achievement: a meta-analysis, Gollwitzer & Sheeran, Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 2006)
Fresh starts. New weeks, months and years, birthdays and the first day after a holiday create a "new me" moment that lifts goal pursuit Evidence grade B. Moderate evidence: solid studies with some limits..
Temptation bundling. Pairing a should-do with a want-to can work at first but decays, and larger tests found smaller effects Evidence grade C. Limited evidence: few or small studies..
How it plugs in. Start: ask when and where the user will do the core action, offer a time picker and calendar insert, remind at that moment, and add a fallback plan for missed days. Return and win-back: reset weekly goals or streak seasons at landmarks instead of sending guilt messages.
Sources
Implementation intentions and goal achievement: a meta-analysis of effects and processes · Gollwitzer and Sheeran, Advances in Experimental Social Psychology 38, 2006
Evidence grade A. Robust evidence: replicated, peer-reviewed research.The fresh start effect: temporal landmarks motivate aspirational behavior · Dai, Milkman and Riis, Management Science, 2014
Evidence grade B. Moderate evidence: solid studies with some limits.Implementation intentions and goal achievement: a meta-analysis · Gollwitzer & Sheeran, Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 2006
Evidence grade B. Moderate evidence: solid studies with some limits.
Source IDs: F21
Book content is paraphrased, never quoted at length. Last verified October 24, 2026.
Your product
Find the stage your product is stuck in
Gamify It reads your product, picks the one move that matters at its stage, and sizes the test to your traffic. Connecting is free; a Pro subscription starts it.