Grit How to keep going whe ypu want to give up pdfdrive com

Chapter 7: Five Techniques to Be
Relentless
Even the most persistent people sometimes battle with doubt and are tempted
to give up. Fortunately, there are several effective techniques you can use to
greatly reduce the temptation to give up.
Use the first two techniques before you set a goal. The remaining three
techniques will help you when you’re struggling.
Set Stakes
Studies show that commitment contracts are effective as a tool for helping
people save money
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. You can set stakes for virtually every other goal and
achieve similar results.
The more is at stake if you give up, the less tempted you’ll be to throw in the
towel. If you want to ensure success, set the stakes before you start working on
your goal.
For instance, if you want to start waking up earlier, give your early-rising
roommate a check for $50 and let her cash it if you don’t wake up at a specified
hour.
If you want to lose weight, penalize yourself $50 for every cupcake you eat
when you’re dieting. It won’t take long to give up on your favorite unhealthy
foods if they’re going to cost you 50 times more than usual.
Negative motivation can work wonders when positive motivation isn’t
enough to keep you going.
Setting stakes is also a perfect way to assess how badly you want to achieve
your goal. If you’re reluctant to set stakes, chances are you’re afraid you’ll give
up. If that’s the case, then it’s extremely unlikely you’ll achieve your goal
without proper negative motivation.
StickK.com
is the biggest online community for people interested in setting
stakes to reach their goals.
Get Yourself Accountable

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Public accountability is a variation of setting financial stakes. Instead of
making yourself pay for giving up, you’ll risk public shaming. For some people,
this technique produces a much more motivating effect than the prospect of
losing money.
One of the easiest ways to get yourself accountable is to partner up with
another person who wants to achieve a similar goal. When two people keep each
other accountable, they’re both much more likely to achieve their goals than
when they do it alone.
Studies show that exercising with a partner improves performance on aerobic
exercises
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. Moreover, research suggests that working out with a slightly better