When I ran a white-collar boxing event contenders had to pass the table test.
The table test is simple. If you bought a table before week 5 of the 8-week program we knew you would box. If you didn’t then we couldn’t rely on you.
So what was going on?
Boxers who bought a table were increasing their commitment.
Sunk costs of an entry fee were not enough. Some contenders dropped out. But no one complained. Why would you tell anyone that you were not up for a fight?
The peer pressure of the training group was always a major contributor to the experience but not always enough of a reason to look failure in the eye and commit.
But, when you invited friends along for the journey you were creating a prize worth fighting for. Not a belt, a championship, or prize money. Instead, the prize was respect, admiration, and the chance to be someone. The topic of conversation around the water cooler.
If you want to create change the sunk cost of registration is rarely enough to keep them coming back for me. You need a table test. A way of increasing commitment as the demands of change get bigger.