“I promised myself I’d eat healthier this week, but then someone brought in those delicious cookies—who can say no to cookies?”
“I meant to hit the gym today, but it’s freezing and raining outside, and snuggling up with my favorite show sounds way cozier.”
“I really need to start on that project, but one more day of procrastination can’t hurt, right?”
Many of us can relate to these struggles. We often know the right choices to make—like exercising, quitting smoking, or tackling that daunting to-do list—but motivation seems to wane when it matters most. This phenomenon is so common that we rarely pause to ponder why it happens. Why do we find it so challenging to do what we genuinely want to do?
The Paradox of Intention
It might seem odd that we can have a sincere desire to accomplish something yet fail to act on it. This disconnect is known as akrasia, a term that describes the struggle between our intentions and our actions. Whenever you procrastinate or break a commitment without a valid reason, you’re experiencing akrasia.
So, what causes this conflict? Are we just inherently lazy? Not necessarily.
Akrasia often arises with activities that offer delayed gratification—think of regular exercise, eating a balanced diet, or working on a major report well ahead of its deadline. Running consistently will improve your fitness over time, but you may not notice any changes after just one session. Similarly, tackling that report now can ease stress later, but the immediate rewards seem scant.
Additionally, there’s frequently an immediate cost associated with doing something positive, or there’s an alternative option that feels more gratifying right now. Sure, running might pay off in the long run, but stepping out into the chilly rain? No thanks! Instead, you could kick back and binge-watch your favorite show, which is way more tempting. Or rather than tackling your project, you could meet up with friends who are also struggling with their own procrastination. The allure of instant rewards often overwhelms the appeal of future benefits.
The Battle of Two Selves
Another way to look at this dilemma is to view “present-you” and “future-you” as two distinct individuals. Ever feel like you have an angel and a devil arguing in your head about what you should do? You might be onto something there! At noon, “present-you” might be eager to exercise later, but “evening-you” would much rather settle in front of the TV. Research from psychology and economics reveals we often have what are known as “time-inconsistent preferences.”
In a study, individuals were asked if they preferred an apple or a chocolate bar as a snack. Those who answered about their preference “now” favored the chocolate, while those who thought about it “later” leaned toward the apple. It’s a classic case of the short-term desire winning out over the long-term benefit.
The Good News
The silver lining here is that failing to act on your intentions doesn’t mean you’re lazy. The downside? Motivating yourself to engage in activities with delayed rewards is inherently tough. If you’re curious about how to overcome this struggle and find ways to reward yourself for doing what you really want, check out our other blog posts, like the one on increasing motivation!
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Summary
In short, the struggle between our intentions and actions is common and rooted in our inclination toward immediate gratification over delayed benefits. Understanding this can help us develop strategies to overcome akrasia, allowing us to better align our actions with our goals.