Commitment Devices
Throughout history, people have found creative ways to resist temptation by limiting their own freedom. Victor Hugo locked away his clothes to force himself to stay home and complete "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" on deadline. Economist Robert Strotz formalized this concept in 1955, noting how people deliberately constrain themselves to achieve goals—from Christmas savings accounts to marriage commitments. Later dubbed =="commitment devices" by Nobel laureates like Thomas Schelling and Richard Thaler, these self-imposed restrictions appear everywhere: piggy banks you must break to access savings, apps limiting screen time, or gambling self-exclusion lists.== Unlike externally imposed rules like speed limits, commitment devices represent a fascinating paradox: we voluntarily handcuff ourselves to unlock our potential.