Promise or Pay
Are you willing to put money on the line to keep a promise? Promise or Pay is here to help us keep our promises – and help charity at the same time! Cool, huh?
The concept is simple: you promise to do something, tell the world about it, then put money on the line as an incentive to keep the promise.
For the last few months I have been thinking about what I could “promise” … Could I use one of my New Year’s resolutions? What about giving up sugar (for good this time!)? Exercise every day?
Then it struck me: a promise that will actually challenge me to keep. And not challenge me in an inconvenient way (like being sugar free at 3pm on a bad day…!), but something that would actually be a huge achievement for me.
I promise to donate blood in the next month, or pay $50 to Batyr, a charity that provides preventative education for Australian youth on mental health issues.
While this may not be a big deal for people that donate every twelve weeks, I am not a needle or blood kinda girl… at all! And while I have overcome my childhood fear of needles, whenever I am forced to have blood tests or shots, it’s not long before I start feeling faint…
The Promise or Pay website tells me that research shows that the chance of achieving a goal increases 33% if it is shared with others, and 72% if money is put on the line. It’s time to conquer my fears.
Promise or Pay also encourages participants to get their supporters to make a donation if they keep their promise.
We frequently hear about the desperate need for people to donate blood in Australia. So here’s how you can support me: I challenge you – Making It Up supporters – to join me and donate blood today. If you’re not quite ready to face your fears, or you can’t give blood, I would love for you to support me by making a donation to Batyr.
Stay tuned to see how I go keeping my promise, wish me luck and please join me supporting Batyr.
Phoebe
PS. My partner Tom has even *volunteered* to come along with me. He just asked me “Does it even matter if you faint?”. My Mum even said that “If you can do it, I will go along and donate blood too”. Let’s do this!
PPS. Batyr is a charity that works to educate young people on mental health issues. This week members of my extended family have been hurt and confused by the tragedy of youth suicide. Education is the key, and I hope that any money we raise for Batyr helps to lower our rate of mental health issues, and puts youth mental health firmly on our Nation’s agenda.