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Carrots and Sticks

Carrots and Sticks

By Ian Ayres

Unlock the Power of Incentives to Get Things Done. Bantam Books, 2010.

15 min read25 min listen13 chapters

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

Free Sample
1

What do you get from this book? How incentives can help you and others live a better life

2

Since the future seems far away and uncertain, people are impatient to receive immediate rewards, even if small

3

Saving for retirement feels like losing money and people hate losing even more than they enjoy winning

4

Ask a lawbreaker: sticks work better than carrots, especially when they’re really, really big

5

Enter into a commitment contract and involve a referee to help you stick to it

6

An unrealistic goal without a plan is a recipe for disaster, especially when striving for lasting, long-term change

7

People have the tendency to conform—learn the right way to build virtues and burn vices

8

Judging people who fail doesn’t help anyone so encourage them to reset their goals instead and start anew

9

If all efforts fail, try the humiliation carrot tactic—it works like magic

10

Think about the people your negative act will affect before you take the easy path

11

Summary of the key insights

12

Selected critiques in brief

13

Final word

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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

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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