Announcing Your Plans for Greatness Lowers Your Chances of Doing Them

An interesting study, and I certainly hate the “law of attraction” bullshit that's been popular recently, but in my cognitive science studies I've come across an important and understated corollary. Making a public commitment (not quite the same thing, but very related) causes individuals to keep their promises more.

The subtle difference here is that public plans for greatness (saying “I'm gonna be a CEO someday”) imply no accountability, while public committals (like telling all your friends that you're going to quit smoking) do.

Want to be pro-new years resolutions? Switch from a plan to an actual committal, which is easier than you'd think. Instead of telling the world that you're going to go to the gym 55 times this year, tell the world and then tell your friend (or the world) that you'll give him $100 unless you go to the gym 55 times this year. If you're not keen on keeping your own plans, you can almost always be counted on to keep your commitment (be it money, reputation, etc).