In the end it still boils down to self discipline, but a different quality.
You still have to do the work. You have to be someone that cares what others think of you, and you have to be willing to put a part of that reputation on the line.
I'm sure the example studies are real but I don't think they are of a similar shape.
What I'm talking about is stuff that you have to do either way, you're not going to be able to postpone it for ever. The activities listed in that study sound like they were optional to begin with.
So, the fact that you are going to have to do this stuff combined with damage to your reputation of being able to get stuff done is what drives it, not the fact that you've simply told someone.
You still have to do the work. You have to be someone that cares what others think of you, and you have to be willing to put a part of that reputation on the line.
I'm sure the example studies are real but I don't think they are of a similar shape.
What I'm talking about is stuff that you have to do either way, you're not going to be able to postpone it for ever. The activities listed in that study sound like they were optional to begin with.
So, the fact that you are going to have to do this stuff combined with damage to your reputation of being able to get stuff done is what drives it, not the fact that you've simply told someone.