Tag Archive
Flexible Self-Control
The problem of self-control may be a ridiculous first world problem but it's the granddaddy of first world problems and I want to solve it. We live amidst a deluge of opportunities for instant gratification, especially in the form of food and entertainment, and most of us don't handle it well. The general problem, known as akrasia, is this: you understand your own best interests when you consider them dispassionately, but in the moment your decision-making is distorted. The best time for, say, a workout is always "tomorrow".... »
Dog Food Renewed
Half a year ago, with Beeminder in its infancy, we committed to averaging one User-Visible Improvement (UVI) to Beeminder every day for at least the next six months. That contract has been insanely valuable to us. “Losing momentum is the most dangerous thing that can happen to a startup.” Lately it’s been a no-brainer (though still... »
The Magical Widening Yellow Brick Road
Beeminder is a tool for getting yourself to do the things you want to do… when you’re thinking about what you want to do next week. For example, next week I want to eat healthy, work out at least 3 times, and work at least 40 hours on Beeminder. That’s in stark contrast to what I want to... »
Force Majeure, Or Beeminder’s SOS Clause
Economists have been wondering for at least half a century why we don’t see more use of commitment devices in the real world. In 1955, one economist speculated that the reason is risk and uncertainty, “both as to future tastes and future opportunities.” We’ve been thinking hard about how to... »
Eating our own Dog Food
