Choosing or Creating a Commitment Device

Have you chosen a word of the year? I started this practice just last January. Reminding myself that being “authentic” was my primary focus helped me make decisions that might otherwise have been more difficult. And reminding yourself of your focus is the whole point of a commitment device.

What exactly is a commitment device? Very simply, it’s anything that helps you remember (and, therefore, helps you achieve) a goal you’ve set for yourself. And it can take on just about any form you can imagine.

For 2017, my word of the year is challenge. One commitment device I’m using is the “evidence file” collage I made as part of an online art class I took last year.

Anytime I feel unable to meet a challenge, I can flip open my art journal and see the evidence of my past accomplishments. I’m thinking that will be enough to give me a confidence boost. And if it’s not, I’ll add another device–perhaps a more readily visible one–to my office wall.

Artwork of any sort is an excellent commitment device, and it doesn’t have to be fancy. Last year, I made this very simple plaque to remind me of my word of the year. I posted a list of my blogging goals next to it. I considered doing something more involved, but being authentic suggested sticking as close to basics as possible. So I bought a cheap frame and wooden plaque at a craft shop. I used craft paint I had on hand at home. All year long, every time I sat down to work at my desk, the first thing I saw was this reminder to stay focused on what was important.

Vision boards are another option. If your word of the year is “healthy,” for instance–what does that look like? Does it mean taking part in specific activities? Maintaining a positive attitude? What affirming statements will encourage you to stay focused on  being healthy? Write them out, then post them on your vision board so they’ll be there when you need words of encouragement.  (One of my blogging goals this year is to offer more visual content on Instagram. Perhaps some of those words and images will end up on your vision board.)

The great thing about this sort of commitment device is that it can be a work in progress–just start from the center of whatever you’re using (a bulletin board or poster board, for example) and work outward. Every time you see something that reminds you of your commitment, add it to your board. And, as your vision grows and refines, your commitment device can too.

If you’re not interested in making a piece of art of a vision board, perhaps you’d prefer a piece of motivational jewelry? I love this “Fearless” pendant that I found on Etsy, and last year my husband bought me this bracelet as a reminder that I have done many difficult things simply because I believed I could. Every time I see that bracelet, whether I’m wearing it or not, it reminds me that belief in my own capability is really my most powerful source of strength. These Mantrabands also look like a good option (and they appear to say just about anything you might want to adopt as your personal mantra.)

Apps can also be excellent commitment devices. Let’s say part of your commitment to a focus on being healthy is to spend less time sitting. The Stand Up! app will remind you to get out of your chair at whatever interval you’ve set. There are apps to remind you to drink water, call your friends, take breaks to prevent eye strain–you name it, there’s an app for it. I used this free gratitude journal app for a long time, in an effort to train myself to focus on the positive. It prompts you to identify one thing you’re grateful for at whatever interval you’ve selected. I found that really helpful, and it made a noticeable difference in my overall attitude.

Basic day-to-day choices can be commitment devices as well. My husband is trying to drink less soda in the new year, so we’re not keeping soda in the refrigerator. My son is trying to eat fewer snacks between meals, so I’m not buying his favorite treats when I do the grocery shopping. Not seeing those items every day is a reminder of what they’re trying to accomplish.

In other words, a commitment device doesn’t have to cost you a cent–and it can actually save you money, in the long run. The important thing is to build in reminders of the goals you’ve set for yourself and make achieving them a real possibility.

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