Carrots and Sticks
By Ian Ayres
Unlock the Power of Incentives to Get Things Done. Bantam Books, 2010.
Summary of Carrots and Sticks book by Ian Ayres
A scientifically backed examination of human behavior, incentives, and self-control, explaining how formal commitments and rewards can help you overcome bad habits, actualize your most elusive goals, and transform your life.
Chapters in Carrots and Sticks book summary
What do you get from this book? How incentives can help you and others live a better life
Since the future seems far away and uncertain, people are impatient to receive immediate rewards, even if small
Saving for retirement feels like losing money and people hate losing even more than they enjoy winning
Ask a lawbreaker: sticks work better than carrots, especially when they’re really, really big
Enter into a commitment contract and involve a referee to help you stick to it
An unrealistic goal without a plan is a recipe for disaster, especially when striving for lasting, long-term change
People have the tendency to conform—learn the right way to build virtues and burn vices
Judging people who fail doesn’t help anyone so encourage them to reset their goals instead and start anew
If all efforts fail, try the humiliation carrot tactic—it works like magic
Think about the people your negative act will affect before you take the easy path
Summary of the key insights
Selected critiques in brief
Final word
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Carrots and Sticks — Book Summary Snapshot
Who should read Carrots and Sticks book
- Psychologists and therapists
- managers and entrepreneurs
- personal trainers and life coaches
- anyone wanting to change their habits
- anyone struggling to quit smoking or lose weight
About the author of Carrots and Sticks
Ian Ayres
Professor of both law and economics at Yale University, Ian Ayres is a successful writer with several books to his credit. His statistics primer Super Crunchers was a New York Times business bestseller, as well as The Economist’s Best Business Book of 2007.
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