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…written down and publicly made commitments can be used not only to influence others in desirable ways but to influence ourselves similarly.

The evidence is clear: the more effort that goes into a commitment, the greater its ability to influence the attitudes and actions of the person who made it.

It appears the commitments most effective in changing self-image and future behavior are those that are active, public, and effortful.

…a strong threat… may motivate immediate compliance, but it is unlikely to produce long-term commitment.

Mere reminders of past commitments can spur individuals to act in accord with those earlier positions, stands, or actions.

Reminders of existing commitments possess yet another bonus. They not only restore the commitment but also appear to strengthen it by augmenting one’s related self-image.

…’we’-group bias corrodes the judgments even of individual specifically selected and trained to be able to banish the bias.

When a risky idea succeeds… the payoff is fantastic. But it’s the failures that, while painful, provide the greatest return on investment.

By asking people for their input early in the process, you help them feel invested in the outcome.

Time and time again, the ideas that spark the best solutions come from similar problems in different environments.