THE LAW OF DIMINISHING INTENT: Why you need to act now.

I first heard of the law of diminishing intent from Jim Rohn in one of his teaching videos. So what is this law about?

Here is John Maxwell’s explanation in an excerpt from his book, 15 Invaluable Laws of Growth:

“When I was a kid, one of my father’s favourite riddles to us went like this: Five frogs are sitting on a log. Four decide to jump off. How many are left?

“The first time he asked me, I answered, “One.”

“No,” he responded, “Five. Why? Because there’s a difference between deciding and doing!”

 “Most people don’t act as quickly as they should on things. They find themselves subject to the Law of Diminishing Intent, which says, “The longer you wait to do something you should do now, the greater the odds that you will never actually do it.”

There’s a huge chance that, just like most people, you have been a victim of the law as well. I bet we’ve all experienced it. We have that great idea and think of the endless possibilities, we’re so excited about it and get motivated to take action. That spark of motivation might come from a desire to make a change, to start something new, to remove a bad habit from our life.

Then what happens?

We take the easiest route available. We put it off until tomorrow. We hand the ball off to the Future us. Then tomorrow comes and we don’t do what we said we would.

Here are some tips to make sure that you overcome the law of diminishing intent:

1.      Set clear and SMART goals

When you set goals make sure they are as clear as possible. Ensure that they are SMART—Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant/Realistic, Time bound. Your goals should force you out of your comfort zone, stretch your ability and still remain attainable.

2.      Make sure the goals are original

Very often we choose goals because they are popular or because we are pressured by others to make them a goal. If the goal is not truly what you want for yourself, you are less likely to follow through difficult processes to achieve it. When you set goals for yourself, it is important that they are what you want and that they motivate you. There should be a value to achieving them; that’s what keeps the motivation. Motivation is key.

3.      Use emotion to boost action

As humans, we are driven by our emotions, hence we are more inclined to do things when we are excited, energized, and happy about them. Emotion can be a strong force, and using that force to get started right away can give you a most necessary head start. The key is to set up the discipline while the emotion is at its peak.

4.      Write them down

Writing down goals make them more real and tangible, this helps create a vision in your mind.  This is important because when we see something, it affects how we act. Frame your goal statement positively using the word “will”, it will improve your retention rate.

5.      Always keep your why in perspective

First you have to look at your why as objectively as possible. German philosopher Frederick Nietzsche once said, “He who has a ‘why’ can endure any ‘how’.” Indeed, only when you know your ‘why’ will you find the courage to take the risks needed to get ahead, stay motivated when the chips are down, and move your life onto an entirely new, more challenging, and more rewarding trajectory.

Consistently remind yourself of why you are doing the particular activity. What are the benefits? Why is that goal important to you? If your why is big enough and you rehearse it often enough, you are more likely to achieve success.

6.      Plan your path of action

A lot of persons miss this step when an idea comes to them. They get so focused on the outcome that they forget to plan. As soon as you have an intention, plan your action. That’s the doing. If you plan to start an exercise program in the gym; decide which gym, when you’ll go there, and what you will need to get started. If you do not plan how to get to your goal there is a higher probability that you will never even get started.

7.      Do it immediately

Start immediately. This is one of the quickest ways to overcome the law of diminishing intent.

8.      Develop accountability

Accountability is be crucial to overcoming the law of diminishing intent. Tell others what you’re doing and why. Don’t feel like you have to do this on your own. Have an accountability partner. Ask them to check in on your progress and monitor your journey to achievement. This will increase your likelihood of achieving success.

It’s time to overcome the Law of Diminishing Intent – don’t put if off any longer.