Oath or Else

I kept running into the same problem over and over: I’d set goals, use todo apps or habit trackers, feel motivated for a bit… and then quietly stop following through. Nothing really pushed back. Everything was passive. I wanted something that actually held me to my word — something that didn’t just track intentions, but followed up and made it uncomfortable to ignore what I said I’d do. That’s where Oath or Else came from. Most productivity apps are built around planning and motivation. The problem I was trying to solve was follow-through. People usually know what they need to do. The hard part is consistently doing it, especially when no one is watching. I wanted to build accountability that feels real — clear commitments, deadlines, proof, and an outcome — instead of streaks and checklists. Originally this started as a much lighter habit-style idea, but pretty quickly it became obvious that wasn’t the point. The more I tested it, the more I leaned into structure, clarity, and consequences (not punishment — just honesty). I stripped away gamification, social feeds, and fluff, and focused on a simple loop: commit → do the work → prove it → review the results. The product got better the more serious it became. This is very much built for people who actually want to be held accountable, not just reminded. Happy to answer questions or hear feedback — especially from anyone who’s bounced off traditional habit apps like I did.