We all can perform better with the help of friends. Here’s some tips for introducing public commitment to family and friends that can help us stay focused. After watching the video, complete the self-appraisal quiz. A transcript of the video is at the bottom of the page. After the quiz, use the Forward button at the bottom to advance to the next module, or use the Back button to revisit the previous module.
Video Transcript
One useful strategy for staying focused and maintaining progress toward goals is to involve family and friends. In other words, publicly commit to what it is you’re trying to accomplish. Public commitment can be a powerful tool because no one wants to look foolish, and no one wants to disappoint a friend. Sharing your work with others makes you want to do a better job, makes you stay motivated and helps you stay on task. So sharing your goals is a very useful tool. You can tell people important to you about what it is you’re trying to accomplish. Of course, this can be big things like you want to get your degree and you want to pass your classes. But it can also be small things. You can share that you’ve got an exam coming up, that you need to study, and that you need to accomplish certain assignments. Another useful approach is to find a partner, someone who you can share with each other. Both of you are trying to do better, and you share with one another, you give feedback to one another. So each of you is telling the other what it is you need to accomplish for the week. You’re keeping each other informed about progress. You’re checking in from time to time. And this partnering can be a very useful tool for helping you stay on track. You can also ask others for advice and feedback. It could be your partner or it could be others. So you might show a friend or family member a project that you’re working on to get their advice. And that’s another form of commitment when they see a a partial completed project. It’s very motivating to want to incorporate their feedback. One final point is be honest about setbacks. If you have committed to get something done by the end of the week, and for some reason you don’t get it done, don’t try to hide it or deceive people about it. Just be honest that you didn’t get it done and think about a strategy for doing better next week.