The process of developing a positive new habit is filled with “I will” statements. I will get up earlier. I will go for a run. I will eat more vegetables. But a little self-interrogation might be more motivational.
Photo by cosmo_71.
A somewhat recent study, from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and published in the journal Psychological Science, suggests asking yourself questions in regard to your goals is more effective than declaring something to be true. For example, asking yourself, “Will I go for a run in the morning?” is more effective than, “I will go for a run in the morning.” Basically, it’s easier to say you’ll do something and accept it as truth than it is to challenge yourself with a question of “are you really going to do this thing?” The question forces you to reaffirm your goals and show yourself that you’re not chickening out. It’s a weird mind trick to bully yourself through the difficult early phases of habit development.
Motivating Goal-Directed Behaviour Through Introspective Self-Talk: The Role of the Interrogative Form of Simple Future Tense [Psychological Science via Mental Floss]
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