The Ulysses Contract for Work
Pre-commitment devices work because they remove the decision point entirely. One calendar trick that locks in your best intentions.
Ulysses had his crew tie him to the mast so he couldn't steer toward the Sirens. He didn't trust future-Ulysses to resist. Smart man.
The same principle applies to work. Future-you will always find reasons to skip deep work, delay tough conversations, or abandon goals when they get uncomfortable.
Pre-commitment devices remove the decision point entirely.
They work because they shift the question from "Should I do this?" to "This is already happening." No willpower required. No option to back out.
Three workplace versions:
- Calendar blocks: Schedule deep work as a meeting with yourself. Decline conflicts.
- Accountability announcements: Tell your team your goal publicly. Now quitting has a social cost.
- Difficult conversation scheduling: Book that feedback session before you talk yourself out of it.
The nudge: Pick one thing you keep postponing. Schedule it this week with someone else involved. Make backing out harder than following through.
