It sounds like it's working well for you & that's all that really matters! For me, I can't see it working unless there was leniency built into it. As other people had mentioned, too, replacing the negative self-talk with something more positive; or even allowing some type of lapse. For me at least, I can see myself writing a contract, doing something in contradiction of the contract, then feeling doubly-bad about it because 1) I am being negative in the first place &, 2) now I've broken a promise to myself. That happens whenever I try to make some sort of promise to myself and don't follow through (e.g. I'm going to run 5 times this week, I'm going to accomplish something after work besides going to bed, etc). If I don't end up keeping that promise to myself, I'm guilty in addition to succumbing to that 'bad behavior'. My very black-&-white personality shining through in all its glory