Commitments And Precommitments: Exploit Them To Stick To Your Plans

Commitments and precommitments are both decision-making stratagems that involve binding yourself to a course of action. While they are related, they differ in timing and purpose. Commitment is following through on a choice you made. A promise or a decision to stick to a particular path. Like committing to a daily exercise or meditation regimen. Whereas precommitment is binding yourself before the decision. It occurs when you set constraints in advance to ensure future behavior aligns with your long-term goals. This strategy is incredible for counteracting impulses and/or procrastination. Precommitments remove the opportunity to deviate. Plans on steroids.

Precommitments are grounded in the idea that humans struggle with self-control. There is a conflicting desire within. A boxing match between immediate gratifications and long-term benefits. We overvalue present rewards at the expense of future well-being. By deciding in advance, we reduce the likelihood of impulsivity in the moment. A classic example is the Ulysses pact. It was inspired by Homer’s Odyssey, where Ulysses ordered his crew to tie him to the mast of his ship while passing the Sirens to prevent himself from succumbing to their lure. The precommitment allowed him to safely pass the island, knowing he might have acted against his own interests otherwise.

These bad boys come in two types: external and internal. External precommitments are those with external constraints and consequences. Hiring a personal trainer to force you to stick to a workout regimen or an executive coach to punish you for bad time management. Even something as simple as an app that blocks distracting websites during work hours is an effective external precommitment. Whereas internal precommitments rely on personal rules. Like deciding to eat dessert only on weekends. External methods tend to be more effective. This is because they introduce stakes and/or accountability. But both strategies can and should be utilized simultaneously for the maximum potency.

Commitments and precommitments are beneficial tools for battling procrastination and building discipline. Precommitments are awesome for managing predictable obstacles—temptation, laziness—by setting up constraints on the undesirable behavior. Meal prepping ahead of time helps you stick to healthy eating. While they are powerful, they are not perfect, end-all be-all tools. They work only when realistic and well-planned. Overcommitting or setting rigid precommitments only serves to stress you out. Worse yet, it may result in the boomerang effect: you do more of the undesirable behavior.

To succeed when using them, try: (1) make them specific and actionable, like writing three-hundred words, daily, at eight; (2) use positive reinforcement, like a reward for yourself to stay committed; (3) adapt your commitment to changing circumstances to stay flexible. Essentially, you are bridging the gap between intention and action. Be clear. Be realistic. Commit.