Commitment devices

Self-aware humans, forcing themselves to follow a plan of action.

A commitment device is a way to lock yourself into following a plan of action that you might not want to do, but you know is good for you.

It’s a technique where someone makes it easier for themselves to avoid acting against one’s better judgment, particularly procrastination.

Commitment devices are voluntarily adopted for use and they tie consequences to follow-through failures.

It the paragraphs above sound like a Wikipedia article, its because they’re pulled directly from here, minus the fluff.

You can’t command your own brain

If humans could impose their own wills onto themselves, the world wouldn’t need HostageFund, everyone would be ripped, rich and McDonald’s would be out of business.

When you tell yourself that you’re starting your new diet next Monday, it’s an empty promise and you shouldn’t believe it until ten Mondays into the future.

We’re incorruptible

HostageFund works because we won’t allow to back out of your defined commitments, for any reason.

You can convince yourself all you want that chocolate milk is actually healthy for you and that running is actually unhealthy for you, we won’t buy it.

And because you know we won’t buy it, you’ll magically stop selling yourself on the idea and figure out a way to follow through.