COMMIT TO WIN

Decades of research by psychologists and economists, which has until now gone under the radar, shows that commitment is the hidden key to making better decisions and reaching our goals. Reeder unpacks the research to show why the commitment factor is so powerful and how we can use it when our willpower and motivation fail—whether we want to lose 10 pounds, save money for a new home, get a promotion, or step back from a relationship that isn’t working.

In the first part of the book, Reeder busts the common myths about commitment. For example: - Commitment is more powerful than willpower. It’s what carries you through the times when your willpower is exhausted - Commitment is not always a good thing. Sometimes we end up committed in ways that make us worse off—it’s the reason why it can be so difficult to leave a career or break off a bad relationship. In Part II, she explains the four elements that make up the commitment formula:

1) Treasures: the benefits we get from working toward a goal,
2) Troubles: the difficulties we have to deal with, 3) Contributions: the time, money, and effort we invest, and
4) Choices: the number of good alternatives we have. These four elements work with and against each other to determine our level of commitment, and can be expressed as a simple formula: (TREASURES – TROUBLES) + CONTRIBUTIONS – CHOICES = COMMITMENT LEVEL.

By understanding the formula, we can recognize which variables are in our control and adjust them to produce the commitment level we want. Part III provides action plans, using practical examples to show what steps we can take to cultivate a level of commitment to suit our goals and decisions for a variety of situations. Like The Willpower Instinct, STRONGER THAN WILLPOWER is a book that will empower readers to stop wishing for things to be different and to understand how they can make practical changes that will naturally lead to positive changes in their lives.

Heidi Reeder, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Communication at Boise State University, and a Carnegie Foundation Professor of the Year. She has authored and co-authored journal articles for leading communication journals. She regularly provides workshops and keynotes for professional organizations has made many media appearances in print, TV, and online.