Social Contracts are Powerful: Use them!

Weeks back, I started building a new habit. I was writing 300+ words every day and I have not stopped since. The system I had built for myself was powerful and so effective that it ensured I showed up every day to write. 

An important part of this system was accountability. For 16 days, I wrote daily on my own. But, after posting my writing streak on Twitter, it took a life of its own.

Friends began to take an interest. I even got messages saying “hey what did you write about today?”.

It was intriguing to me. I didn’t post initially for accountability, but it happened. So I continued doing it. I would occasionally update my audience via Instagram Story on how my writing was going. The very act of updating them also motivated me to show up to do the actual task of writing.

As I thought about what happened, I realised I had, unknowingly, engaged in a social contract. By telling an audience I was doing something and would continue to do it I was making a promise. And since it was a public promise, I was more inclined to keep it.

Social Contracts are powerful and we can build better habits for ourselves by leveraging them.

If you want to really do something, announce it on Facebook. Tell your followers what you want to do and how you will do it. The social contract you sign by this act will be a motivation that drives you to show up every day.

The social contract is powerful and I’m curious to see what you will use it for…