Best predictor of future behaviour is past behaviour

Summary

• We can predict the immediate future based on our intentions. But for long term future, our intentions matter little. The best predictor is past behaviour.

Details

• This is why changing our behaviour is really really hard.

References

• How to Take Smart Notes - One Simple Technique to Boost Writing Learning and Thinking - Sonke Ahrens
• When it comes to the long run, researchers struggle to find any measurable connection between our intentions and our actual behaviour (Ji and Wood 2007; Neal et al. 2012)

Related

• Habit Change - Leo Babauta
• Habit is as second nature - Cicero
• Change and adapt - Sun Tzu
• Change yourself instead of changing the world - Leo Tolstoy
• Personal change requires some space to happen
• Pray for Jehovah to change your feelings