Yes, my phrasing is kind of weird, it is definitely a "doesn't work" thing. And as the study shows, it might work when the task isn't identity-related, but cons

Yes, my phrasing is kind of weird, it is definitely a "doesn't work" thing. And as the study shows, it might work when the task isn't identity-related, but considering it's an actively harmful strategy (rather than just "not working") I wouldn't even recommend it in passing. Perhaps not many students act like Klingons but the crucial part of this post seems to be about making a credible commitment, with this as the example: "I will work on my Android app at least 2 hours every single day for 6 months, or until the app is released. Every day, I will send you an email report of what I’ve learned or accomplished that day, and how many hours I’ve roughly worked. If I skip a day, it’s OK, but if I ever skip two days in a row, I will give you $2000, and do your laundry and clean your windows every week for the next 12 months. You are to hold me accountable, and demand that I hold my end of the deal. If I ever forget to send you an email, you are to call me and ask me about my progress." While I suppose a lot of students aren't planning on day-to-day schedules for their work (though some certainly do), there is nevertheless a cost that can easily exceed $2k for failing in college.