For novel goals, generate multiple if-then plans covering different breakdown contexts — unfamiliar domains have unpredictable failure patterns

Why This Is a Rule

For well-understood behaviors with known breakdown patterns, a single implementation intention works: "When I finish my morning coffee, I will write for 30 minutes." The breakdown pattern is predictable (the transition from coffee to work), so one if-then plan covers the primary vulnerability.

Novel or complex goals have unpredictable failure patterns. You don't yet know where the breakdown will occur — it might be at initiation, at a specific step, during a transition, or when an unanticipated obstacle appears. A single if-then plan based on your best guess about where failure will occur leaves all other failure modes unprotected.

Multiple if-then plans covering different contexts create the behavioral equivalent of contingency planning: "If I feel resistance at startup → I will begin with the easiest sub-task." "If I get stuck mid-process → I will switch to a different section." "If I run out of time → I will complete the minimum viable version." Each plan addresses a different failure mode, and together they provide broader coverage for unpredictable domains than any single plan could.

The tension with Maximum 1-3 active implementation intentions at a time — add more only after existing ones have compiled into automaticity (limit to 1-3 simultaneously) resolves through context: Maximum 1-3 active implementation intentions at a time — add more only after existing ones have compiled into automaticity applies to routine behaviors where one well-chosen plan suffices. This rule applies to novel/complex goals where the failure landscape is unknown and broader coverage is needed.

When This Fires

• When starting a goal in an unfamiliar domain where you don't yet know how you'll fail
• When a single implementation intention keeps missing the actual failure mode
• For complex multi-step goals with multiple potential breakdown points
• Complements Maximum 1-3 active implementation intentions at a time — add more only after existing ones have compiled into automaticity (limit active intentions) with the novel-goal exception

Common Failure Mode

Single-plan reliance for novel behaviors: "If I feel unmotivated, I'll start small." What if the failure isn't motivation but confusion? Or scheduling conflict? Or environmental distraction? A single plan protects one failure mode; the actual failure comes from a different direction entirely.

The Protocol

(1) For novel or complex goals, brainstorm 3-5 plausible breakdown contexts: motivation failure, confusion/stuck, time conflict, environmental distraction, competing priority. (2) For each, write an if-then plan: "If [breakdown context occurs], then I will [specific recovery action]." (3) Keep each if-then plan simple and actionable (Write agent actions as procedures a stranger could follow — aspirations and principles are not executable steps). The recovery action must be executable in the breakdown state. (4) After the first 2-4 weeks: review which breakdowns actually occurred. Did your plans cover them? Drop plans for failure modes that don't materialize; add plans for modes that emerged unexpectedly. (5) As the behavior becomes familiar, consolidate to 1-3 plans covering the empirically confirmed breakdown patterns.