We make promises to others we wouldn't think of breaking: our spouses, friends, our business partners our coworkers. Yet, we have no problems breaking the promises we make to ourselves. "I won't waste time on useless sites", "I'll stop procrastinating", "I'll do better", "I won't lose my temper", "I won't drink anymore", the list goes on and on. We let ourselves break those promises, even the same ones over and over. How much longer will we let this go on? We wouldn't tolerate this behavior from others, yet we do it to ourselves. "Self-esteem is just the reputation that you have with yourself. You'll always know." - Naval Ravikant. No one else may not know but you always will. How many more promises are you going to keep breaking to yourself? Is this how you would treat your family and friends? Maybe this is the reason why you have doubts. You've encountered your own example of the many t...
Trying to make someone or ourselves behave better or different through punishment is instilling fear to modify the behavior. The fear makes us immobilized and less likely to change because we are pushing against an external influence. Can it work? Sure, if you make the stick big enough.
A better way is to plant the reason for change from within.
It is next to impossible to ignore is pressure that comes from within. It is always with us, the beating drum getting stronger as the pressure increases. Trying to ignore it or bury it, gives strength to the beat and it grows louder.
What fosters change is accepting and giving love which will give energy to make the change.
We try to punish ourselves into a being a good person, or a changed person. We don't need more punishment, we need more love.