The Psychology of “Tomorrow”
“Tomorrow” is often simply a way to avoid the discomfort of “today.” It is one of the key traps we fall into. We say: Tomorrow I’ll start losing weight. Tomorrow I’ll go to the gym. Tomorrow I’ll sort out my finances. Tomorrow I’ll write my business plan. And in that moment, tomorrow feels “safe.”
Today, however, would require us to actually do something concrete. And starting is often uncomfortable: it brings boredom, resistance, uncertainty, and the possibility of failure. So “I’ll start tomorrow” isn’t always a problem of a lack of discipline. Sometimes, it is simply our strategy for avoiding an uncomfortable feeling.
Why Do Some People Stick With It While Others Keep Starting Over?
We all make plans, and we all want to succeed. But why do some people stick with their plans while others keep starting over? Are some people really more disciplined, or do they simply respond differently to temptation?
The truth is that people who successfully achieve their goals don’t rely on being motivated and disciplined enough every single day.
Their secret is that they create conditions that make it easier to take action.
A Plan for a Good Day + A Plan for a Bad Day
One of the most effective techniques is to create a plan. But as we know, plans often fall apart, especially when difficult days come. However, since consistency is key to success, it makes sense to have a plan for the days when we have little or no energy.
What is the minimum you can do to keep moving forward?
Most people tell themselves: “I’ll exercise for an hour every day.” But what if your plan looked like this:
- Good day: 60 minutes.
- Normal day: 30 minutes.
- Bad day: 5 minutes.
- Terrible day: Put on your workout shoes and go outside for 2 minutes.
The point isn’t to be equally productive every day.
The point is to maintain consistency: even on a bad day, you remain a person who hasn’t abandoned the path you’re on. This way, you avoid the feeling that you’ve “ruined everything” and have to start all over again.
Pair a Difficult Task with Something Enjoyable
One technique that works for some people is to add a small, enjoyable ritual to a challenging task. In behavioral science, there is an approach known as
temptation bundling, popularized by researcher Katy Milkman [1].
In one of her studies, participants had access to appealing audiobooks only while they were at the gym. The idea is simple and practical: getting started becomes easier when it is accompanied by something we genuinely look forward to.
Put simply: pair something you enjoy with something you want to do more often.
You could make your favorite coffee only when you sit down to work on a difficult report. Maybe you have a special playlist that you only listen to while cleaning. Or perhaps you listen to 10 minutes of your favorite podcast only while walking or running. The task doesn’t magically become easy, but it can feel more familiar and less unpleasant.
Reward Yourself for Simply Getting Started
We often hear that the reward comes at the end, once we’ve reached our goal. But what if we turned that logic around and rewarded ourselves for simply getting started? If we know that a small reward is waiting for us at the beginning, it becomes much easier to approach the task. You could treat yourself to your favorite tea, have a piece of candy, or simply read a few pages of your favorite book.
The reward can also be something as simple as writing down your progress in a calendar each day you take a step forward and seeing how far you’ve come.
Create an Environment That Doesn’t Work Against You
In psychology, this is known as
choice architecture. It refers to how the environment around us is structured and, as a result, which choice becomes the easiest one to make in a given moment. If your phone is on the table, checking it is easy. If a book is on your pillow, you’re more likely to remember it. If your walking shoes are by the front door, going for a walk becomes a smaller decision.
It’s not about tricking yourself.
It’s about stopping yourself from making important things unnecessarily difficult. Leave your phone in another room while you work. Open the document the night before. Put your walking clothes somewhere you can’t miss them.
So, What Now?
Maybe you don’t need a fresh start today. Maybe you just need five minutes.
Not tomorrow. Today.
Because change often doesn’t begin when we feel ready. It begins when we take the first small enough step.
The next time you feel resistance, don’t immediately ask yourself what’s wrong with you. Instead, try asking yourself these three questions:
| Question |
Why it helps |
| What is the easiest way to get started? |
Because it turns a big goal into one manageable next step. |
| What can I prepare today? |
Because it reduces the number of decisions that could stop you tomorrow. |
| How will I know that I’ve taken a step forward? |
Because it reinforces the feeling of progress, even before the final result. |
Viri
[1] Milkman, K. L., Minson, J. A., & Volpp, K. G. (2014). Holding the Hunger Games Hostage at the Gym: An Evaluation of Temptation Bundling. Management Science, 60(2), 283-299.