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Have you ever wondered why we don't just “do the thing” even when we may have the knowledge or ability to do so?
For instance, maybe you have the capability and intention of doing more cardio. Perhaps you even have the knowledge of why and how more cardiovascular exercise would benefit your health… Yet, you're still not following through and actually doing it.
But why? Is intent enough to trigger action?
Truth is, if you've ever beat yourself up over your intentions and actions being misaligned, you're not alone.
The “intention-action gap”, is a well-studied psychological concept in the context of health behavior change. And just as its title alludes to, it occurs when there is a disconnect between what we intend to do and what we actually do.
Here are the most common reasons that it happens and what to do about it:
1. Instant Gratification vs. Delayed Benefits
Simply put, our brains are wired to prioritize immediate rewards / pleasure due to our dopaminergic reward system. This can sometimes make it difficult to consistently choose actions that have delayed benefits (IE: choosing the nutrient dense option, going to bed earlier, getting the 5am workout in, etc). None of these examples provide instant pleasure per se; but they do provide long term benefits.
So, imagine how much your life would begin to change if you started making choices based on how you’d feel after the action, instead of how you feel before it. #DoItForYourFutureSelf
2. Habitual Behavior and Environmental Cues
It is MUCH easier to change your environment than to change a habit. Many of our behaviors (healthy or not) are automatic and driven by habit. But when health compromising choices are ingrained in our routines, breaking these patterns requires conscious effort and energy.
But our surroundings play a huge role in that as well. Our environment can entice us to make health enhancing OR health compromising decisions. So, how can we change our environment to make things “easier” to make the health enhancing choice? Example: leaving a bowl of apples, oranges, and bananas on the counter to cue you to include more color / fiber in your diet. It's easier to have an “environmental cue” (IE that bowl being out) than it is to just say “i'm going to try to eat more fruit!”.
Without deliberate changes to our environment, it can be easier to fall back on our default responses and automatic behaviors.
3. Cognitive Overload and Decision Fatigue
Many of us live stressful or hectic lives involving potentially long work hours, parenting, etc on top of several other life demands.
It's not uncommon that we eventually feel so “at capacity” that decision making becomes another thing that “fatigues us”. Cue “decision fatigue”. Simply put, when we’re tired or stressed, our ability to make rational, goal-aligned decisions can diminish and we default to the easier or more comforting options.
4. Emotional Regulation and Coping Mechanisms
Food is comfort for many people. This isn't groundbreaking news. Food is often tied to emotional regulation, stress relief, and a coping mechanism for discomfort. When we’re stressed, sad, or anxious, for instance, the brain seeks immediate ways to feel better, often leading to over-indulging and/or consuming hyper-palatable foods in excess.
Without alternative strategies for managing emotions, some people may struggle to align their behaviors with their intentions (hello intention-action gap). As such, we may be left in a position where we had great “intentions” of having a nutrient dense meal, but our emotions “got the best of us”.
5. Lack of Self-Efficacy
Even if someone has knowledge and capability, they may not feel confident in their ability to sustain change, especially if past attempts failed. This is known as self-efficacy. Self-efficacy refers to a person's belief in their ability to achieve a goal or perform a specific behavior. Ultimately, it's important to believe that you are capable of consistent change.
6. Lack of Clear, Specific Plans
Simply put, knowledge isn’t enough. Implementation intentions (i.e., "if X happens, then I’ll do Y") are critical for bridging the gap between intention and action. Most people need a clear, specific plan with tangible action steps to help them carry out a behavior or task. The more we can prepare and think ahead to the “ifs” that may present themselves (i.e., IF my work meeting goes late, how will this affect the choices I make for dinner?, IF I get to bed too late, how will this affect my ability to wake up early for a training session?)
Without a plan and some preparation, people are more likely to get derailed by other priorities or temptations.
So, how do we fix it?
- Focus on small, manageable changes that are easier to sustain (like adding ONE vegetable to dinner rather than overhauling your entire diet).
- Create an environment that supports health enhancing behaviors (like adding a bowl of fruit to the counter or batch prepping meals in advance).
- Build alternative coping strategies for stress or emotions (like a 5-minute walk or some journaling instead of turning right to emotional eating).
- Practice self-compassion. Acknowledge setbacks without judgment and refocus on progress over perfection (ditch the all-or-nothing mentality!)
- Use behavioral cues and habits to make healthier choices automatic (like drinking a glass of water before you have your typical morning coffee)
- Develop a sense of self-efficacy by celebrating small wins to build confidence in your ability to change (you can do it!!!)
Behavior change is a process that requires continuous effort, intention, and action. Need help bridging the intention-action gap? That's what we're here for.
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