In this episode, Tom Caravela explores the transformative power of self-commitment, focusing on the importance of making promises to oneself. He delves into the concept of promises and plans, examining the psychological underpinnings that drive effective self-promises. Listeners are guided on how to craft a strategic plan to ensure promises are kept, emphasizing the crucial role of execution in this process. The discussion also addresses overcoming cognitive dissonance and decision automaticity, supported by empirical evidence on the effectiveness of promises. The episode concludes with actionable insights and a call to action, encouraging listeners to harness the power of self-commitment for personal growth and success. (0:00) Introduction and conference announcement (1:01) The power of self-commitment: Making a promise to yourself (2:32) Understanding the promise and plan concept (4:11) The psychology of making promises (5:27) How to effectively make a promise to yourself (8:09) Crafting a strategic plan for your promise (14:06) The critical role of execution in fulfilling promises (15:16) Overcoming cognitive dissonance and decision automaticity (17:31) Empirical evidence on promise effectiveness (18:47) Final thoughts and call to action