What are Commitment devices?
A commitment device is an arrangement that restricts future choices to help someone follow through on a goal they might otherwise abandon. It works by making it costly, difficult, or impossible to deviate from the intended behavior.
How it works
Commitment devices exploit the gap between present intentions and future behavior. Odysseus lashing himself to the mast is the classic example: he knew his future self would be unable to resist the Sirens, so his present self removed the option. Modern examples include deposit contracts (where you forfeit money if you fail to meet a goal), website blockers during work hours, and automatic savings deductions. They are most effective when the person recognizes their own self-control problem and voluntarily chooses the constraint.
Applied example
A smoker who gives $500 to a friend with instructions to donate it to a cause the smoker hates if they smoke again is using a commitment device. The financial and emotional penalty makes relapse more costly than staying quit.
Why it matters
Commitment devices bridge the intention-action gap by aligning future incentives with present goals, making them essential tools for behavior change in health, finance, and productivity.
