Coaching practices for Pre Commitment Bias
Describe almost anything you are working through and IX Coach finds the practices whose real-world fit is closest. For Pre Commitment Bias, these are the strongest matches in the current practice library.
Does this sound like the set of challenges you might be facing?
- On a calm Sunday I’m completely sure I’ll follow through this week, but I know by Wednesday afternoon, when the urge hits, that resolve will evaporate
- Right now I’m calm and clear about wanting to save, but I know the impulsive version of me later will raid whatever is within reach
- Right now I’m fired up and ready, but I already know future-me is going to talk myself out of it when the moment comes
- In a calm moment I swear I’ll save the raise or skip the splurge, but when the actual moment comes my willpower just isn’t there
- Right now, fired up, I’m certain I’ll follow through
Practices that may help
- Use precommitment devices to lock in future behavior from a patient vantage point
Remove the option to defect when temptation peaks by committing now, before present bias activates.
Hyperbolic Discounting — Why Future You Always Gets the Short End - Lock in the future-oriented choice before the temptation arrives
Pre-commit when motivated and calm so a future impulsive self doesn’t undo it.
The Marshmallow Test and Your Money - Use commitment devices to make future behavior harder to avoid
Pre-commit to the behavior now — when your current self is motivated — to bind your future self.
Action Planning - Precommitment Devices (Ulysses Contracts)
A precommitment device is a constraint you impose on your future self while you still have the clarity to want the right thing — locking in a choice so the weaker, in-the-moment you cannot undo it. Commitment contracts (including ones with real money or social stakes) have solid experimental support, though they help most for people already motivated to change. - Use precommitment devices to bind your present self to your future self’s preferences
Commit future behavior before the moment of temptation, because your present self is the weak link.
Future Self Continuity, Made Practical - Use a precommitment device to lock in future behavior
Restrict your future self’s choices now, when motivation is high.
Nudge Theory, Made Practical - The premortem (imagine the project already failed)
Before starting, assume the plan has already failed and ask why — then fix it now.
Premeditatio Malorum, in Depth - Run a premortem before committing
Imagine the project has already failed and work backwards to find why.
The Planning Fallacy — Why Your Estimates Are Always Wrong - Run a pre-mortem before committing to a plan
Imagine the plan has already failed and ask what went wrong.
Confirmation Bias: Seeing What You Expect to See - Self-imposed deadlines
Bind yourself to interim deadlines instead of one distant due date.
Precommitment Devices (Ulysses Contracts)
Related concerns
- Metacognitive Pre Commitment
Pre-commit to the behavior now — when your current self is motivated — to bind your future self.
Use commitment devices to make future behavior harder to avoid
- Pre Commitment Focus
Remove the option to defect when temptation peaks by committing now, before present bias activates.
Use precommitment devices to lock in future behavior from a patient vantage point
- Pre Commitment Tech Break
Remove the option to defect when temptation peaks by committing now, before present bias activates.
- Precommit To Wait
A precommitment device is a constraint you impose on your future self while you still have the clarity to want the right thing — locking in a choice so the weaker, in-the-moment you cannot undo it. Commitment contracts (including ones with real money or social stakes) have solid experimental support, though they help most for people already motivated to change.
- Precommitment Devices Ulysses Contracts At Work
A precommitment device is a constraint you impose on your future self while you still have the clarity to want the right thing — locking in a choice so the weaker, in-the-moment you cannot undo it. Commitment contracts (including ones with real money or social stakes) have solid experimental support, though they help most for people already motivated to change.
- Precommitment Productivity
Remove the option to defect when temptation peaks by committing now, before present bias activates.
Describe your situation in your own words to search the complete practice library.