StickK It

Today, I went to my first yoga class in months. I splurged on a "new member" special for two weeks unlimited classes-- it's a deal as long as I go more than three times. I spent a hour and a half practicing deep breathing, stretching, and lifting my own body weight. I spent the rest of the day being proud of myself.

Finally, no more being down for not sticking to my resolutions!

And the great thing is, I know that I'm going to follow through on this. At least for the next six weeks. I made a contract.

That's where www.stickk.com comes in. I think of it like the stick behind the donkey, when the carrot isn't working. I make a resolution, set the rules, and plug in my credit card. I asked my boyfriend to be my referee, and every Saturday he and I report back to the website. If I don't report back, or I admit that I haven't exercised enough, or he reports that I haven't exercised enough, I lose my $10 dollars (it goes to charity). If I was really smart, I would have made it something like $100 a week, because let's face it, with the amount I'm paying to go to yoga, I can afford to lose $100. You can also choose who to donate to, an "anti-charity," that is something you really, really don't believe in (something you will work hard to avoid giving money to) or a person you really hate (someone you will avoid giving money to). Does it work? The website says it does. Here's their take:

Let's imagine you can't stop eating candy bars. Try committing to eat 3 or less candy bars a week, and penalize yourself $100 every time you go over. Essentially, that fourth candy bar will now cost you $100! Would you eat a $100 candy bar? 

We offer financial contracts to let you choose the cost at which failure is simply not an option. Bottom line, everyone has a price. What's yours?

Here's the thing: that candy bar, if you eat it every day, will cost you $100, in the long run. Just like not exercising will cost me, and not quitting smoking will cost Joe Schmo. What's cool about this website is, it's translating the costs of the future, both financial and personal, into the present. In other words, I am willing to put $60 dollars on the line now (which in college terms might as well be equivalent to $100) so that in ten years I don't have to spend that money on health issues and unhappiness.

Plus, this gives me the ability to quantify peace of mind. Like the website says, everyone has a price. I know now that it takes $60 to goad me into getting off the couch. Well, $60 and knowing that if I lie about it I'm taking money away from charity.