Cognitive Scaffold

Preparing your thinking workspace

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MENTAL MODEL · M6739

PACT

PACT
BehaviorHigh supportPersonal Development
Included
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Updated 2026-08-08

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INTRODUCTION

English translation pending.

CORE DEFINITION

PACT is a goal-setting framework with four criteria. Purposeful means the goal carries personal meaning, so the reason for pursuing it is clear. Actionable means it translates into steps that can be started immediately. Continuous means it is designed as an ongoing practice rather than a finite project with an endpoint. Trackable means progress can be recorded simply. The framework is positioned against outcome-oriented models such as SMART: where those ask whether a target was met, PACT asks whether the behavior can be sustained, which suits long-term habits and identity-level goals rather than one-off projects.

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

- Use meaning statement: write why this goal matters to you personally before designing the steps. - Use daily form: express the goal as something you do on a recurring schedule rather than something you finish. - Use simple tracking: pick a measure you will actually record, and keep it minimal.

anchor

Anchor fast decisions

Goals framed as outcomes are evaluated at a single point and then abandoned, which suits projects but not habits, because habits require repetition over an indefinite horizon. Expressing the goal as a recurring practice shifts the criterion from attainment to consistency, and a purpose supplies the reason to keep going when the immediate reward is absent. Simple tracking makes consistency visible without imposing the record-keeping burden that causes people to abandon tracking systems altogether. Together these features aim at sustainment.

MINIMUM ACTION

In progress 0/1

Practice this model in one real situation:

Check to track your progress (stored locally)
Learning progress0%
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Source support: Explicit

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