Streaks are everywhere.
Streaks to “encourage” learners to come back every day to learn a language. Streaks to “encourage” players to come back to a game every day. Streaks to “encourage” people to exercise every day. Streaks to “encourage” users to message their friends every day on messaging apps.
Yeah, I was unsubtle there with my little “encourage”.
Streaks are simple behavioural psychology.
Unfortunately, they’re often implemented as little more than bribery, wrapped in negative messaging designed to make you feel that not coming back will have consequences.
Duolingo sends a psychotic owl after you in your emails, getting more and more aggressive and desperate every day you ignore it.
Snapchat makes you feel like ending a streak with your bestie will signal the end of a friendship.
Etc. Etc. Etc.
Who Do They Benefit?
Now, if these things were genuinely being done for your benefit, that would be one thing. But more often than not, you can get your streak back… for a modest charge.
Just cross the palm of the ghost with silver, young master!
A trifle! A bargain! A wonderful deal!
One little token to soften the blow,
One little purchase and off you shall go!A penny here, a penny there,
A streak to mend, a friend to spare!
Buy them singly, buy them by the score,
Why stop at one when you can have more?No need for shame,
No need for tears,
We’ll sell you back
Your missing years!
Fine little tokens!
Cheap as can be!
Your peace of mind…
For a modest fee.
Sorry, got carried away there!
The point is that many products don’t use streaks to celebrate progress. They use them to create anxiety. The messaging focuses on everything you’ll lose if you break your streak and then, when the inevitable happens, they conveniently sell you the solution to the problem they created.
That’s not habit building. That’s monetising loss aversion.
Streaks can be fantastic when they’re used differently. They celebrate consistency and reinforce habits without punishing people for having a life.
Miss a few days? Send a friendly reminder. Come back? Celebrate the return and let the streak continue from there.
No stress. No guilt. No manufactured scarcity. Just a system that rewards consistency while accepting reality.
Streaks don’t have to induce anxiety.
They can cultivate success.
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Also published on Medium.