A Commitment Device for Changing Habits
According to James Clear, sometimes it is better to complicate and oppose the use of bad habits than to focus on simplifying good habits. According to the third rule of behavior change, if we constantly have difficulty simplifying a good habit and following a plan, it is better to focus on complicating bad habits. To do this, we need to develop a mechanism that psychologists call a commitment device.
A commitment device is a choice made in the present that controls actions in the future. This is a mechanism that limits future behavior and bad habits.
The commitment device is useful because it allows us to benefit from good intentions until we give in to temptation. The main thing is to change the task so that giving up a good habit requires more effort than implementing it.
The commitment device is not only a tool for controlling behavior, but also a way to transform the environment. When we create a reality where breaking bad habits is virtually inevitable, and taking action on good habits is more accessible and easy — habit change becomes a natural process.
In this way, habit change is no longer just a matter of willpower; it becomes the result of a smart, proactive strategy — taking action today to be stronger and more purposeful tomorrow.