THE PROMISE
I’ve spent a fair amount of my life having good intentions. Things I’m going to do, habits I’m going to change, projects I’m definitely going to finish.
Sometimes I follow through. Sometimes the enthusiasm wears off and I quietly move on to something else.
I’d rather that didn’t happen with this.
So I’m making a public commitment. Starting Wednesday 4 November 2026, I’ll publish something new on Beyond the Bare Minimum every Wednesday and Sunday, by 9pm UK time.
I’m committing to this for an initial three months. After that, I’ll review how it’s going and decide what happens next.
And because apparently making a promise to myself isn’t quite enough, I’ve decided to put some money on the line.
THE STAKES
Here’s how seriously I’m taking this.
If I miss a publishing deadline, I’m putting £100 of my own money on the line.
The first five eligible subscribers to call me out within 24 hours of the missed deadline will each receive a £20 digital gift card. Amazon will be the default, although alternatives will be available.
That’s potentially £100 every time I fail to do what I’ve promised.
I could have just set myself a reminder, made a spreadsheet or asked a friend to keep me accountable. Instead, I’ve decided to give complete strangers a financial incentive to catch me slacking.
What could possibly go wrong?
THE RULES
1. What counts as publishing?
I’ll publish two new, substantive articles every Wednesday and Sunday by 9pm UK time, starting 4 November 2026.
An article must be publicly accessible by the deadline. There is no minimum word count, and scheduling posts in advance is absolutely fine. Placeholder posts, empty updates and backdating articles don’t count.
The initial trial runs until 3 February 2027.
2. Who can claim?
To be eligible, you must have been a verified email subscriber before the missed publishing deadline.
If I miss a deadline, eligible subscribers have 24 hours to report it using the CALL ME OUT facility on this page.
The first five valid claims received within that window will each receive a £20 digital gift card.
Only one claim per person per missed deadline is permitted. Duplicate or fraudulent claims will be disqualified.
3. What happens if fewer than five people claim?
Only valid claims will receive a reward. If three eligible subscribers report a missed deadline, that’s three £20 gift cards, not five.
The maximum payout for any single missed deadline is £100.
4. Is there a limit?
Yes. I’ll pay rewards for a maximum of five qualifying penalty events per calendar year.
A missed deadline counts towards that limit only if at least one valid claim results in a reward.
Once the five-event limit has been reached, I’ll continue recording every missed deadline publicly, but no further rewards will be payable that calendar year.
5. Are there any exceptions?
Genuine emergencies and serious illness are reasonable exceptions.
Holidays, tiredness, hangovers, writer’s block and technical problems are not. I can schedule articles ahead of time, so there’s no particular reason those things should prevent me from publishing.
Any exception will be recorded publicly, along with the reason, without unnecessarily sharing private information.
6. Can I change the publishing schedule?
I can change the publishing days once per calendar quarter, provided I give at least 14 days’ public notice.
The commitment must remain at two articles per week, published by 9pm UK time.
I can’t retrospectively change a deadline, cancel an existing obligation or use a schedule change to avoid a penalty.
7. How will you know whether I’ve kept my word?
Everything will be recorded on the scoreboard below.
Every scheduled deadline will have a permanent entry showing whether I published on time, the article concerned, its publication time, any exceptions and any rewards paid.
Missed deadlines won’t disappear just because nobody claimed a reward.
The three-month trial doesn’t renew automatically. At the end, I’ll review the arrangement publicly and decide whether to continue.
THE SCOREBOARD
The first deadline is Wednesday 4 November 2026 at 9pm UK time. The scoreboard will track every deadline from that date onwards.
CALL ME OUT
Think I’ve missed a publishing deadline? Here’s your chance to hold me to it.
Submit your report within 24 hours of the missed deadline, using the email address you subscribed with. I’ll check it against the published rules and confirm whether you’re eligible for one of the £20 gift cards.
No cheating. That includes me.