We say to others, “Do it or else,” but we say to ourselves, “Give it a try sometime…or not. Do whatever you feel like!” Through my research for my book Indistractable, I’ve found that by understanding what facilitates social change, we can finally inspire personal change.
Pact
A precommitment to an outcome that acts as a firewall against distraction
- This technique nearly guarantees you’ll follow through on any commitment you choose to make
- Rose made a “cut or cut” pact – if she finished her manuscript by a self-determined deadline, she would get a celebratory cake, and if not, her kids would cut off her long, curly hair
Good pacts demand action
The best pacts are based on concrete behavior, not aspirations
- Name a very specific behavior you expect yourself to do
- Deciding in advance when you will do what you say you will is called setting an implementation intention
- A precommitment acts as a firewall against distraction by imposing a cost to going off track
Pacts aren’t good for every goal
Pacts can backfire if you haven’t mastered internal triggers, made time for traction by scheduling your day, and hacked back external triggers
- They’re best saved for temporary goals you can commit to and achieve
- For long-term behavior change, learn to enjoy the behavior for its own sake over time
