ne of my mates recently told me about a pact that she had made with a group of friends. They all partied a little bit too hard over Christmas and they were keen to dry out, so they made a pact that they would all go for three months without alcohol. This meant not drinking for all of January, February and March this year. To keep them all motivated and staying on track they added a monetary incentive that I really want to share with you because I think it’s bloody clever.
The Rules
1. Everyone puts in $100
2. If anyone breaks the pact, they forfeit their $100 and the pool of money gets split amongst the remaining participants. In the end, those who successfully finish the challenge get to split the pool of money between them.
I’ve been observing this pact as an outsider for most of the year and it’s been a huge motivator for my friend who hasn’t had so much as a sip of wine since January. Here are a few suggestions based on my observations, if you want to try it yourself.
Tips
1. It’s best if you collect the cash and have it kept securely by an impartial third party. Last I heard one of the challengers had a night on the booze and miraculously decided they hadn’t actually committed to the plan, which is a bit cheeky. Collect the money before the challenge starts so you know exactly who is playing and who isn’t.
2. Up the ante. I’d be able to go a month without alcohol to save $100 but three months? It would have to be at least $300 to keep me motivated for that long.
3. Two of the participants had a wedding in the middle of the challenge so they kicked in an extra $25 for a free one night pass. I really like this idea because I never go three months without a wedding or an important party where I’d like to celebrate with champagne. The rule is engagements like these need to be pre-booked and should be proper occasions like weddings or important birthdays. You can’t just chuck some extra cash in the kitty whenever you feel like a beer.
4. It needs to be a challenge for everyone. I could never play this game with Mr Smaggle because he rarely drinks so it’s not fun to compete with him. It has to be equally as challenging for all the participants.
Are you trying to give anything up? Do you think a motivation bet would help you stay on track?
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