From Intention to Action: The Art of Following Through

We’ve all had that moment – the new project, the fitness plan, the online course – that starts with excitement and then quietly fades. Why is following through so hard, even when we truly want the result?

Psychologists call this the intention-behaviour gap – the distance between what we mean to do and what we actually do. This post explores why that gap exists and what science says about bridging it. However before we get started, let’s make sure we are on the same page about the follow through (and no it is not what you do in racquet sports).

What Does Follow Through Mean?

To discover some meaning around follow through, a few definitions include –

• “to press on in an activity or process especially to a conclusion” ~ Merriam-Webster Dictionary,
• “follow through with it, you continue doing or thinking about it until you have done everything possible.” ~ Collins Dictionary,
• “to do what needs to be done to complete something” ~ Cambridge Dictionary,
• “the act of continuing a plan, project, scheme, or the like to its completion” ~ Dictionary.com
• “To engage in an action or complete some task that one said or implied one would do.” ~ The Free Dictionary.

Do any of those definitions resonate with you? Feel free to share below.

Why Does Follow Through Matter?

Following through is more than just discipline; it’s an essential element for trust, self-efficacy, and momentum. And relates to ithe relationship you have with yourself as well as the relationship you have with other people.

When you consistently act on your commitments (yes those things you said you would do), your brain starts to associate effort with reward – strengthening the “identity” of someone who completes what they start (without being a martyr).

(Side note: sometimes it is more than OK to let things go or not do things, that is part of self-responsibility and integrity. However if you choose to do that, how will you communicate that decision if it involves another person?).

What Does Following Through Look Like in Real Life?

Following through can look different depending on where it shows up in your life. Following are six everyday examples across three key areas (self, others and goals/commitments).

Area 1 – Following Through with Yourself

Example 1: Keeping a Morning Routine – you tell yourself you’ll meditate or journal for 10 minutes each morning – and actually do it, even when you don’t feel like it.

Example 2: Sticking to Health Goals – you commit to walking 30 minutes daily or cooking at home three nights a week – and track your progress for a month.

Area 2 – Following Through with Others

Example 3: Honouring Small Promises – you say to.a friend or colleague, “I’ll call you back this afternoon,” and you do – even if it’s a short message.

Example 4: Completing Collaborative Work – you commit to delivering your part of a project by Friday – and you deliver, or communicate early if something changes.

Area 3 – Following Through with Goals and Commitments

Example 5: Seeing a Personal Project to Launch – you’ve had an idea – a podcast, side business, or blog – sitting in drafts. You set a deadline, plan your launch steps, and publish your first episode or post.

Example 6: Finishing a Learning Commitment – you enrol in an online course – and rather than quitting halfway, you complete it by scheduling study blocks and tracking progress.

Which area – Self, Others, or Commitments do you most often start well but struggle to finish? What would ‘one level better’ look like this week?” Feel free to share them below.

Some of the Psychology that Relates to Follow Through

Some relevant psychology that relates to following through include goal-setting theory and implementation intentions. Let’s discover a bit more about both of those –

Goal-Setting Theory –

Research by Locke and Latham (2002) found that specific and challenging goals outperform vague ones because they focus attention, boost effort, and increase persistence. Saying “I’ll write 500 words before lunch” works far better than “I’ll write more.”

“Goal setting is most effective when goals are specific, difficult, and accepted by the individual.” – Locke & Latham (2002)

Implementation Intentions –

Even the best goals fail without a plan for when and how to act. Gollwitzer (1999) introduced the idea of implementation intentions – simple “if-then” plans like “If it’s 7 a.m., then I’ll put on my running shoes.” These small commitments drastically improve follow through by automating the first step.

Common Obstacles to Following Through

When it comes to following through, there can be a few obstacles that prevent you from doing it. For example –

• Present Bias – we overvalue immediate comfort and undervalue future rewards (O’Donoghue & Rabin, 2015),
• Overload and Ambiguity – when goals feel too big or vague, we can freeze,
• Fear of Failure – perfectionism can cause paralysis before progress begins, or
• Drop-off in Motivation – initial excitement wanes when effort or results plateau.

Can you think of any others? Remember, recognising the main obstacles is the first step to transforming it.

5 Science-Backed Ways to Strengthen Follow Through

Following are 5 science-backed ways to strength following through –

1. Break Down Goals – chunk big projects into small, measurable steps. Completing micro-tasks keeps dopamine flowing and reduces overwhelm.
2. Reward Effort, Not Just Outcomes – According to learned industriousness theory (Eisenberger, 1992), people persist more when effort itself is rewarding.
3. Use Implementation Intentions – link your action to a cue: “If I finish my water, then I’ll draft one email.”
4. Use Streaks and Tracking – tracking consistency (like a calendar chain) helps maintain motivation through loss aversion – people often don’t like breaking streaks (Mochon et al., 2017).
5. Know When to Pivot – following through doesn’t mean stubbornness. Research shows that goal disengagement can be adaptive when goals become unattainable or misaligned (Ntoumanis & Sedikides, 2018).

Over to You…

I hope this post has helped increased comprehension of the follow through. Remember, following through isn’t about being perfect – it’s about honouring your intentions with small, consistent action. Each time you act, you’re building trust in yourself – and over time, that becomes the foundation for real growth and achievement.

If you are ready to take yourself on the adventure of getting to know yourself (your true Self), why not join the newsletter? A place where I share tools, inspiration and ideas to live a courageous and openhearted life.

References –

Eisenberger, R. (1992). Learned industriousness. Psychological Review, 99(2), 248–267.

Gollwitzer, P. M. (1999). Implementation intentions: Strong effects of simple plans. American Psychologist, 54(7), 493–503. 

Locke, E. A., & Latham, G. P. (2002). Building a practically useful theory of goal setting and task motivation: A 35-year odyssey. American Psychologist, 57(9), 705–717. 

Mochon, D., Johnson, K., Schwartz, J., & Ariely, D. (2017). What are likes worth? A Facebook page field experiment. Journal of Marketing Research, 54(3), 306–317. 

Ntoumanis, N., & Sedikides, C. (2018). Holding on to the goal or letting it go: A tripartite model of goal striving. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 27(6), 363–368.

O’Donoghue, T., & Rabin, M. (2015). Present bias: Lessons learned and to be learned. American Economic Review, 105(5), 273–279.