I suppose this has been discussed before, but I’ve been thinking about it and put down some words.
So you’re charged if you derail, but what if you succeed? As is, i fear Beeminder seems like a punishment system to newbies, whereas it has been quite positive for me in the last 18 months (and I guess most long-time users).
Two examples of reward systems from other apps. They are based on financial gain, but perhaps there are some other concepts out there to be explored
- Pact: you commit to a weekly goal and either you are charged if you failed (depending on how many days you failed your goal) or get a couple $ if you succeed. The amounts you earn are insignificant (I’m “earning” about 3-3.5$ per week) but overall the app has helped me walk some more in many occassions and also establish my calorie counting habit on Myfitnesspal
- Dietbet/Stepbet: you enter a game which has a “betting” pool. You’re charged up front a participation fee, so you’re a bit more eager to get the money back. Winners split the pool (minus 15-20% to the app).
The main point is that some positive re-inforcement should part of the Beeminder process. Thoughts?