Influence · Robert Cialdini

Commitment and consistency examples

Curated by · reviewed 2026-06-01

Once we commit to something — especially out loud or in writing — we feel pressure to act in line with it. Small first agreements lead to bigger ones.

What is commitment and consistency? Read the full idea →

5 examples of commitment and consistency

  1. The foot in the door

    Agree to a tiny request first and you're far likelier to say yes to a larger one later, to stay consistent.

  2. Writing the goal down

    People who put a goal on paper or tell a friend follow through more, to match their stated self.

  3. The signed petition

    Sign a small cause and you start seeing yourself as 'that kind of person', changing future choices.

  4. Trial-then-keep

    After using a free trial, cancelling feels like contradicting your own choice to start.

  5. Public pledges

    Saying 'I quit smoking' to others makes relapse feel like breaking a promise, not just a private slip.

How to spot it in yourself

You'll forget most of this by next week.

That's just how memory works. Lock commitment and consistency in with a 5-minute active-recall session — spaced repetition, no signup.

Try this idea free →

One tap adds it to your review queue — we bring it back right before you'd forget.

Related ideas