I have trouble getting started on the things I’d really like to do. I have trouble doing something different tomorrow than I did today and last week. I can fill my head with good ideas and my heart with inspirational energy, but it doesn’t stop me from postponing change as long as I can.

Maybe loss aversion will. NPR recently did a story (which I found through 43 Folders) on the idea of placing bets against yourself to motivate change. The idea behind loss aversion is that many of us are far more motivated by what we have to lose than by what we could gain.

Example: I recently got overcharged 40 cents at at the Starbucks drive-through. I didn’t realize it until the window closed. Then I sat patiently for 2-3 minutes until someone noticed me. Then I went through the embarrassment of showing how important that 40 cents was to me (they were cool about it, BTW). All in all, it took about five minutes to fix it. But I couldn’t just drive away! If someone offered me a chance to earn 40 cents by spending five minutes sitting at a drive-through, there is no way I would do it. But I did it to keep from LOSING 40 cents.

Now let’s say I want to lose some weight - about 18 pounds would be good, at the pace of a pound a week. Instead of promising myself a new iPod when I reach my goal, I could tap into the motivating power of loss aversion, and make myself pay a price if I fail to lose a pound in a given week - maybe an anonymous $20 gift to someone I don’t like. If my 40 cent battle at the drive-through is any indication, losing something may be far more motivting.

The NPR article mentions a web site devoted to loss aversion. I actually visited the site, and almost went through the process of making myself accountable to run a marathon. The site asked me to choose the race and date, to pick someone to hold me accountable (it was going to be John H.) - AND to pledge to make a donation to a distasteful political or social organization if I failed to meet my goal. I thought it was all a great idea. The only reason I backed out at the end was that it was a pass/fail proposition - either run the race in November, or don’t, and pay up. For something that big, I need many steps along the way.

But I love the idea, for me anyway. And if I ever get my plan together, John is the man to be my enforcer!