Commitment Devices

We are naturally bad at fighting temptation. If we have a choice to be lazy, we usually take it. To beat this, people do something strange. Victor Hugo locked away his clothes to force himself to stay home and complete "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" on deadline. We call this a commitment device. It means building a wall today so you cannot make bad choices tomorrow. Unlike externally imposed rules like speed limits, commitment devices represent a fascinating paradox. We voluntarily handcuff ourselves to unlock our potential.