--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: One flashy kind of commitment device is…" description: "\"“One flashy kind of commitment device is the “nuclear option.” A friend who enjoys experimenting with strategies of personal productivity used this app..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/848/gretchen-rubin-867_commitment_one-flashy-kind-of-commitment-device-is_2695237.jpg" --- # One flashy kind of commitment device is the “nuclear… ![“One flashy kind of commitment device is the “nuclear option.” A friend who enjoys experimenting with strategies of personal productivity used this approach to quit drinking for sixty days. He gave his assistant a stamped, addressed envelope with a check he’d written to an “anti-charity,” an…” quote by Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/848/gretchen-rubin-867_commitment_one-flashy-kind-of-commitment-device-is_2695237.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/848/gretchen-rubin-867_commitment_one-flashy-kind-of-commitment-device-is_2695237.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/848/gretchen-rubin-867_commitment_one-flashy-kind-of-commitment-device-is_2695237.jpg) > ““One flashy kind of commitment device is the “nuclear option.” A friend who enjoys experimenting with strategies of personal productivity used this approach to quit drinking for sixty days. He gave his assistant a stamped, addressed envelope with a check he’d written to an “anti-charity,” an organization whose policies he passionately opposes, with the instruction to mail the check if he had a drink before the time was up.”” [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A drastic commitment device involves donating money to an opposing cause if a habit is broken, leveraging loss aversion to enforce self‑control. **In simple terms:** Donate to an opposite cause if you slip, using loss aversion. Key Takeaway Use loss aversion to strengthen habit change. Themes self‑control loss aversion commitment devices Mood pragmatic thoughtful Type self‑help behavioral. When to use this quote - quitting drinking - dieting - budgeting - study habits Key Concepts behavioral economics psychology Questions to Reflect On - Would you feel motivated or resentful by this method? - How could you design a less contradictory commitment device? A Different Perspective May cause ethical discomfort or unintended support of harmful groups. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Approach Quit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approach-quit-2690389/) [Commitment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commitment/) [Commitment Device](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commitment-device-2690387/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Generosity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/generosity/) [Nuclear Option](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nuclear-option-2690386/) [Quit drinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/quit-drinking/) ## Related quotes > [I have not taken a position on that nuclear option. My view is I'm not going to do anything until I come to that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/i-have-not-taken-a-position-on-that-nuclear-option-my-view-is-i-m-not/) [Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/) > [I am the MF'n nuclear option!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-abney/i-am-the-mf-n-nuclear-option/) [Hank Abney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-abney/) > [We are on the precipice of a crisis, a Constitutional crisis. The checks and balances, which have been at the core of this Republic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-are-on-the-precipice-of-a-crisis-a-constitutional-crisis-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [This nuclear option is ultimately an example of the arrogance of power.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/this-nuclear-option-is-ultimately-an-example-of-the-arrogance-of-power/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [“On the off chance my caller would tell me to quit drinking, I positioned myself on the sofa with two six-packs and a bottle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/on-the-off-chance-my-caller-would-tell-me-to-quit-drinking-i/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [Did you ever drink so much of a certain type of alcohol that you get so sick that you can never drink the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-stanhope/did-you-ever-drink-so-much-of-a-certain-type-of-alcohol-that-you-get/) [Doug Stanhope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-stanhope/) > [I think it just has to do with getting older and getting better at what it was I was doing, and that I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-sedaris/i-think-it-just-has-to-do-with-getting-older-and-getting-better-at/) [David Sedaris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-sedaris/) > [Well from a personal perspective, quitting drinking is a decision I felt good about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/well-from-a-personal-perspective-quitting-drinking-is-a-decision-i/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [Since I've quit drinking, I'm not sure I've found the good life, but I've certainly uncovered a better one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/koren-zailckas/since-i-ve-quit-drinking-i-m-not-sure-i-ve-found-the-good-life-but-i/) [Koren Zailckas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/koren-zailckas/) > [Economists believe there are three reasons why the Russian economy is doing so poorly. One, economic sanctions are working. Number two, low-price oil. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/economists-believe-there-are-three-reasons-why-the-russian-economy-is/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [“The day I became free of alcohol was the day that I fully understood and embraced the truth that I would not be giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-hemingway/the-day-i-became-free-of-alcohol-was-the-day-that-i-fully-understood/) [Liz Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-hemingway/) > [“But I should note, for all my resistance to organized religion, that I don't believe Charlie could have quit drinking without it. It provided…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-sittenfeld/but-i-should-note-for-all-my-resistance-to-organized-religion-that-i/) [Curtis Sittenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-sittenfeld/) > [I quit drinking in 2002, mere months before my college graduation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-gethard/i-quit-drinking-in-2002-mere-months-before-my-college-graduation/) [Chris Gethard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-gethard/) > [I called my dad to tell him I was gonna quit drinking and he told me don't be a quitter!..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-called-my-dad-to-tell-him-i-was-gonna-quit-drinking-and-he-told-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I quit drinking. That was a big problem for a lot of years. Then after that, I just started feeling grateful again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-crystal/i-quit-drinking-that-was-a-big-problem-for-a-lot-of-years-then-after/) [Billy Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-crystal/) ## More by Gretchen Rubin > [“Second Splendid Truth One of the best ways to make yourself happy is to make other people happy. One of the best ways to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/second-splendid-truth-one-of-the-best-ways-to-make-yourself-happy-is/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Knowing what you admire in others is a wonderful mirror into your deepest, as yet unborn, self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/knowing-what-you-admire-in-others-is-a-wonderful-mirror-into-your/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Being taken for granted is an unpleasant but sincere form of praise. Ironically, the more reliable you are and the less you complain, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/being-taken-for-granted-is-an-unpleasant-but-sincere-form-of-praise/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“one Secret of Adulthood is “Never start a sentence with the words ‘No offense’”? “And”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/one-secret-of-adulthood-is-never-start-a-sentence-with-the-words-no/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [One of the findings that really interests me is that, although we think we ACT because of the way we FEEL, we often FEEL…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/one-of-the-findings-that-really-interests-me-is-that-although-we/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [We all want to get along well with other people, and one way to do this is to help people feel good about themselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/we-all-want-to-get-along-well-with-other-people-and-one-way-to-do/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [During my study of happiness, I noticed something that surprised me: I often learn more from one person's highly idiosyncratic experiences than I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/during-my-study-of-happiness-i-noticed-something-that-surprised-me-i/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [There is a preppy wabi-sabi to soft, faded khakis and cotton shirts, but it's not nice to be surrounded by things that are worn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/there-is-a-preppy-wabi-sabi-to-soft-faded-khakis-and-cotton-shirts/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“There are times in the lives of most of us,” observed William Edward Hartpole Lecky, “when we would have given all the world to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/there-are-times-in-the-lives-of-most-of-us-observed-william-edward/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“I started thinking more about music. I thought I'd accepted the fact that, as part of "Being Gretchen," I didn't really like music, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/i-started-thinking-more-about-music-i-thought-i-d-accepted-the-fact/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [If you've had something for more than six months, and it's still not repaired, it's clutter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/if-you-ve-had-something-for-more-than-six-months-and-it-s-still-not/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“The pleasure of doing the same thing, in the same way, every day, shouldn't be overlooked. The things I do every day take on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/the-pleasure-of-doing-the-same-thing-in-the-same-way-every-day/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [Although we often assume that feelings inspire actions, in fact, actions also inspire feelings. By pushing myself to act happier, I make myself feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/although-we-often-assume-that-feelings-inspire-actions-in-fact/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [I love finding - or inventing - ways to categorize people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/i-love-finding-or-inventing-ways-to-categorize-people/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) > [“After someone's death, how strange to see the value drain away from his or her possessions; useful objects such as clothes, or dish towels,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gretchen-rubin/after-someone-s-death-how-strange-to-see-the-value-drain-away-from/) [Gretchen Rubin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) [Explore all 346 Gretchen Rubin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gretchen-rubin/) ## More Commitment quotes > [Deepen your existing spiritual commitment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-buettner/deepen-your-existing-spiritual-commitment/) [Dan Buettner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-buettner/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [Certainly these are not easy times. But history does not contain very many easy times. Years from now, we will look back at this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/certainly-these-are-not-easy-times-but-history-does-not-contain-very/) [Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/) > [Trust is about keeping commitments, but in many instances, circumstances change and organizations therefore shed commitments, things such as retiree medical benefits, pension obligations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-pfeffer/trust-is-about-keeping-commitments-but-in-many-instances/) [Jeffrey Pfeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-pfeffer/) > [“You make me believe in happiness... if I had my way, if anything were up to me, I’d never be without you. You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-kirchoff/you-make-me-believe-in-happiness-if-i-had-my-way-if-anything-were-up/) [Courtney Kirchoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-kirchoff/) > [Golf is such a big commitment, and so is acting. Sometimes you have to give up something to do something else, although, when I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-newton/golf-is-such-a-big-commitment-and-so-is-acting-sometimes-you-have-to/) [Kathryn Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-newton/) > [All of the barriers to innovation in the energy sector are arguments for a big commitment to public investment. Only the public sector can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nordhaus/all-of-the-barriers-to-innovation-in-the-energy-sector-are-arguments/) [Ted Nordhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nordhaus/) > [When you make a commitment to a relationship, you invest your attention and energy in it more profoundly because you now experience ownership of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-de-angelis/when-you-make-a-commitment-to-a-relationship-you-invest-your/) [Barbara De Angelis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-de-angelis/) > [ “For \[erotically intelligent couples\], love is a vessel that contains both security and adventure, and commitment offers one of the great luxuries of life:… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/for-erotically-intelligent-couples-love-is-a-vessel-that-contains/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) > [Having a point to start is important. You know that when you decide to write something it's like a commitment. It's like falling in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabel-allende/having-a-point-to-start-is-important-you-know-that-when-you-decide-to/) [Isabel Allende](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabel-allende/) > [A commitment to lifelong learning is a natural expression of the practice of living consciously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/a-commitment-to-lifelong-learning-is-a-natural-expression-of-the/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) > [A lasting relationship consists of the 3 C's: Commitment. Communication. Compromise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/a-lasting-relationship-consists-of-the-3-c-s-commitment-communication/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [I've developed a huge regard for Toyota for its environmental awareness, for its immense commitment to research and development in this field, and for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maurice-strong/i-ve-developed-a-huge-regard-for-toyota-for-its-environmental/) [Maurice Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maurice-strong/) > [And the commitment that I've been giving to the Australian people is that there'll be no surprises and no excuses under a Coalition government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-abbott/and-the-commitment-that-i-ve-been-giving-to-the-australian-people-is/) [Tony Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-abbott/) > [As a result of reading science fiction when I was eight, I grew up with an interest in music, architecture, city planning, transportation, politics,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/as-a-result-of-reading-science-fiction-when-i-was-eight-i-grew-up/) [Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/) [Browse all 4,004 Commitment quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/commitment/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“One flashy kind of commitment device is the “nuclear option.” A friend who enjoys experimenting with strategies of personal productivity used this approach to quit drinking for sixty days. 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