You have bad habits. We all do. I certainly do. What if there were a website in which you could put a contract out on yourself to break a bad habit or reach a goal? There is and it's pretty neat: Stickk.com allows the goal-setter (i.e. consumer) to put out a financial commitment to the fulfillment of a goal.
Its history, if you read the above link is legit. Cool, even. But does it work? One guinea pig, as documented on NPR's "Here and Now" in April 2008 tried this site in her efforts to quit smoking. She pledged $500 (you can pledge any amount for a fixed period of time) with the proceeds -- money she lost per week if she didn't retain her commitment -- going to charity. In her case, it worked, as she began to lose her own money to the NRA (her "charity" of choosing). This provided a disincentive to smoke and an incentive to save. Up the ante and Stickk.com just might work.
There are other "personal reminder" sites out there and Stickk isn't alone in the quest to make our lives more structured. Hassleme.com encourages the consumer to fill out his or her checklist of life rules. A newer companion, Brompt.com nags bloggers . . . like myself. . .to update their internet musings more frequently.
All of these seem like good ideas, but are they replacements for other non-technological methods? Time will tell. Me? I have $30 on the line for my Stickk.com commitment after this week's reporting, and I'm hoping it's uphill from here.
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