My first time w/ Principle 2: "Pay what you weigh"

My first experience with newbodi.es Principle 2 came when I was 8 years old, and was sleeping over my friend Robb's house.  His mom took us to The Ground Round for dinner (I think they may be bankrupt and out of business now, but it was a lower quality, worse for you, less gimmicky version of Applebees or Chilis back in the day that basically just slathered cheese and/or BBQ sauce on every dish).  They ran a promotion where kids could eat for the low low price of one cent per pound. As 'the fat kid', I was mortified of the idea since I failed to realize that, to parents, it was just about a super cheap meal even if paying for a big kid like me.  My friends all earned their parents some change if they paid with a oner.  To cover me, you needed a five spot, or perhaps a buck and some loose change.

The wait staff would come out with a scale when it was time to bring the bill and weigh each kid and make it known to everyone around.  I hated it.

See, I hated it because it was embarrassing.  I was something I didn't want to be, and didn't want people to see it anymore obviously than they could by looking at me. I didn't want the number out in the open like the then it was so much higher than other kids'.

This hate is good, though I didn't appreciate or benefit from it at the time.  I just didn't understand it or its power back then.  I now use this hate as a form of motivation.  Instead of weigh-ins, I post very actively on Facebook and Twitter about my personal project and my metrics.  I also use a great service called Stickk that a friend put me onto where you state your goals, assign a referee to help keep you honest, and you can even put money on it.  Essentially, it's 'pay what you don't weigh' since you pay up when you don't hit your mark.

So, this is what Principle 2 is all about - go public.  Create social pressure to deliver what you want to deliver for yourself.  Create risk that you will be embarrassed or look bad if you fail.  Failing yourself is upsetting enough, but how many people have tough talks with themselves about how they're going to do better - eat smarter, exercise, etc - but never do.  I'll be the first to admit that I probably had 30 of these with myself each year since I was like 11.  No joke.  They never worked.

So, start posting, and then stop disappointing yourself and all those who are now looking at you to deliver.  You can do it.