Commitment, commitment, commitment... Let′s run a marathon!

This morning I registered for a 21K run (that would be a half marathon) to be held in November, quite a few months in advance. Not the first one for me, and hopefully not the last one, but definitely something that requires a lot of training to finish and potentially reduce my personal timing.

So, I have already paid for it, there is no way I′m going to lose that money. Now I have to run it. Which means I have to train. Whether I want to do it or not. No more procrastination, my friends!

I used what it is called a commitment device: a technique utilized to make it easier for someone to act against one's better judgment (like procrastination). In other words, Present Antonio made a decision to spend money thinking on the benefit of Future Antonio.

¨Commitment is what transforms a promise into a reality.¨ Abraham Lincoln

There are some classical examples of commitment devices documented through history or fiction. In the 19th century, French writer Victor Hugo had an agreement to write The Hunchback of Notre Dame by February 1831. He had many ¨distractions¨ and was very late in the process. Six months before the deadline, he made a decision. He locked away all of his clothes, making it impossible for him to get out of his house, thus dedicating all his time to finishing his book, which he did.

The Odyssey gives us another example of a commitment device in the acts of Greek hero Ulysses. On his decade long journey home to Ithaca from the Trojan Wars, He was aware that his ship would have to navigate a hazardous region that was home to beautiful sirens. According to legend, the sirens' lovely songs can entice seafarers to their islands' rough coasts, where they will shipwreck. Ulysses yet desired to hear the sirens' music.

Ulysses instructed his crew to put wax plugs in their ears as they drew closer to the sirens' homeland and tie him tightly to the mast, a commitment device, telling them that they were not to change course at any cost, no matter how he struggled and gestured, no matter how wrathfully he seemed to be ordering them to cut his ropes.

Commitment devices usually involve a cost, either social, financial, or frictional. Let′s consider some examples:

• Buying a smaller lunch box will force us to eat less when we have a long-term goal of losing weight (friction).
• Making your goals public, even on social media (social), makes it very important for you to meet them.
• Destroying your credit card to prevent continuing spending beyond your financial possibilities

In sports (although you can apply this at home or work) a commitment device can take the form of accountability partners: In order to hold each other accountable for their training and performance, athletes may form partnerships with teammates or instructors. Together, they define objectives, and they follow up frequently to make sure they are on track. This shared responsibility acts as a motivational tool for athletes to stay committed to their training. Remember, there is a social cost of not doing what you say you′ll do…

From 2010 through 2014, LeBron James and Dwyane Wade played for the NBA Miami Heat, and they grew close both on and off the court. They understood how crucial it was to hold one another responsible for their preparation and output.

During their time together, James and Wade often trained together in the off-season, pushing each other to improve each other's skills. They went through rigorous training sessions that challenged each other to push their limits and maintain high performance. They also criticized each other constructively, identified areas for improvement, and inspired each other to strive for greater things.?

Their relationship as accountability partners helped them stay motivated and focused on their goals. Both LeBron James and Dwyane Wade achieved considerable success individually and as a team, winning two championships in 2012 and 2013.

You can watch some great plays from this duo here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTN2gD9LJnU

We can use commitment devices to help us fight our bad decisions today when seeking to meet long-term goals, whether you are a writer, an athlete, or a Greek hero. Whether you want to take care of your health or achieve financial targets for your retirement. I, for one, will continue to make every effort to soon be running a full marathon (and by making this public, I am creating a social commitment device!).