Why you should tell others about your plans

Telling others about your plans is very motivating to take action, because you don't want to be embarrassed and feel ashamed of unfulfilled promises.

This is a good answer to the question, "How do I beat laziness?": a real way that works without fail.

But then you need to be careful, because when someone notices your plan / goal, that social recognition is a reward that may cause you to reduce your efforts. It creates a premature sense of completeness and you start to feel as if the you've completed your goals even when you're still far from it. So rather than motivating you, it can in fact hurt you.?