Sticky Commitments and stickK.com

From the extensive psychological research into goal-setting and commitments, we know for a fact that if you make a commitment that is public, active, and voluntary, you are statistically more likely to follow through.

One of the main questions that people then ask me is, "So, what makes a commitment public, active, and voluntary?" Great question. Now, we have a website that provides the answer. It's called stickK.com.

Based on years of scientific research and development by Yale University researcher Dean Karlan (with co-founders Ian Ayres and Jordan Goldberg), stickK's mission is to "promote healthier and happier living by helping people achieve their personal goals through the signing of Commitment Contracts. Happier people = happier world!"

Not only does stickK integrate the Consistency principle, it takes the science one step further. When you actively, publicly, and voluntarily create a commitment contract, you also choose the stakes that you’re willing to wager on your impending success or failure, such as your valuable reputation PLUS the valuable contents of your wallet (the best part: the site encourages you to give your monetary stakes to charity!). In other words, the Scarcity principle, which proves that we are as motivated by potential loss as we are by potential gain, plays a significant role here as well.

Our own research shows that people are about 7 times more likely to follow through on an active, public, and voluntary goal versus one that is kept private.

stickK.com is a wonderful tool that will transform how individuals set and achieve their goals. It's free. Stakes go to charity. It's a classic win-win-win.

Go ahead... Put a contract out on yourself.