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Monday, July 12, 2010

Can you be bribed?

I wish I could.

Can you bribe yourself to 'be good' with some sort of reward? The proverbial carrot dangling from the string?

I freaking wish I could. Maybe I need to learn.

I have the wherewithal to tell myself "OK, you stay OP this week and you can buy yourself that brand new Janet Evanovich book for your Kindle'. It sounds good in theory, but it doesn't work that way with me. I either A. half way through the week say 'fuck it, I'll do it next week. I can wait a week for the book.' Or, B. say 'Fuck it, I'll buy the damn book anyway cuz I'm a princess and I can.' See the prob here?

When I was 17 years old and leaving for college. My dad told me that if I lost 100 pounds he'd give me a car. Yep, when the other dads were saying 'now look here princess, don't be putting out to every guy you meet', my dad was bribing me to lose weight. He wasn't worried about me putting out, I mean really....anyway, point is. That car was mine. Oh yes, in my mind I was driving it because all I had to do was lose 100 pounds. Ya, so of course I didn't get the car. I didn't get the brand new wardrobe, I didn't get the 100 bucks for each pound lost either.

So, sitting here all alone (TBM is taking a nap. It's his birthday today, we both have the day off, I thought exciting things would be commencing today. When asked what he wanted to do on his birthday, he replied 'take a nap', and that's just what he did) and wondering about WHY I can't be bribed.

Is it part of the short in my wiring? Is it part of this instant gratification thing? Of course it is. So, perhaps, if I learned to be bribed, I might learn other things? If I learn the patience required for bribery to work, I just might learn a bit more about myself.

I'm going to try it anyway. I'll try anything once!

I WANT that Janet Evanovich book. I want it NOW.

Noting up my sleeve here....I'm going to attempt to bribe myself. I'm going to, well now, right now I AM telling myself the following.

If you:
1. Re-join WW this week AND
2. Track all your food this week AND
3. Exercise formally at least two times AND
4. Post a loss at your next meeting (yes, a scale victory is a must even if you think it's wrong for you)

You may then, and ONLY then, rush home and hit the 'buy now' button on that book. Furthermore, if you don't complete all 4 chores, you may NEVER buy the book. Not next week if you do really good, not the week after if you do triple good, NEVER. You must then wait for your name to come up on the list at the library.

Limits. What a concept.

:-)

2 comments:

  1. It seems for me bribes work...WITH conditions and creativity. If I said "lose 5 pounds and you will get a manicure" I would never lose those five pounds. BUT if I tell myself "you need to walk this many laps and eat only foods focusing on micro nutrients because you are going to go hiking in rough terrain in a month and you need strength and stability" , I will do it. For me it is all about activity and food giving strength, and I could care less what I look like or what size I wear. Perhaps finding your own sideways motivation might help. We human beings are quirky creatures !

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  2. bribery never works for me either..self bribery or otherwise...we must rethink what motivates us...this is a tough one! I like that "sideways motivation"...so what does make us tick?..hhhmmm

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