Making a Commitment Is Serious Business

One of my younger brothers was 34 years old when he got married. In his twenties, he was more interested in pursuing his career, hanging out with his friends, and going to college football games. During that time, he dated several young women.

He knew he wasn’t ready to commit to being with one person for the rest of his life.

It turns out that my brother was smart to realize this about himself. Several of his friends who had married young went through divorces before they were 30.

He and his wife have now been happily married for more than 25 years.

Of course, the issues around commitment aren’t limited to young people or even to marriage.

We’ve probably all had the experience of jumping into something without fully understanding the resolve and dedication required to make the endeavor successful—whether it’s pursuing a specific career, going into business with someone else, joining a gym to get in shape, or starting a weight loss program.

We may not anticipate the rough spots we’ll encounter because we have an unrealistic view of what to expect or simply haven’t thought it through.

If you approach such important life choices with limited information and consideration, you may give up at the first sign of trouble.

As legendary football coach Lou Holtz wisely observed:

What you can do

The solution is to get involved with your eyes open. Find out what a goal will require from you. Recognize that you may have to give up time, freedom, and other things that were once important to you. Then decide if you want to make that kind of commitment.

One of the most quoted lines from the Star Wars movies came from Yoda:

“Do. Or do not. There is no try.”

Italian race car driver Mario Andretti identified the winning combination:

Once you decide to move forward, you can expect to experience some doubts. You’ll wonder if sticking with what you said you’d do is worth it.

Because you will run into roadblocks, conflicts, and even criticism from others. It’s going to happen anytime you undertake a worthy goal.

When these obstacles kick in, take time to reflect on your reasons for making the commitment in the first place. Remember and re-feel the positive emotions you felt. Renew your motivation by visualizing the result you want to achieve.

What's an area of your life where a strong commitment helped you stay on your chosen path?

"I believe life is constantly testing us for our level of commitment, and life's greatest rewards are reserved for those who demonstrate a never-ending commitment to act until they achieve. This level of resolve can move mountains, but it must be constant and consistent. As simplistic as this may sound, it is still the common denominator separating those who live their dreams from those who live in regret." - Anthony Robbins, American author

Learn More

What if you could help every leader in your organization strengthen their ability to exercise commitment?

Now you can, with GSL SkillBuilder!

This unique, self-paced program strengthens 36 character skills and 10 high-impact communication skills that every leader needs to be effective.

Watch this 2-minute video about COMMITMENT, which explains what it is and why it’s important. Then contact me to find out how you can use GSL SkillBuilder in your leadership development programs.

Want to learn how to implement 360 feedback for the best possible results??

Join me for a special webinar on October 2, 9am PT/12pm ET, hosted by Training Magazine Network . If you can’t attend the live event, you can use the same link to watch the replay.

REGISTER HERE.

About Meredith

Meredith Bell is co-founder and president of Grow Strong Leaders . Her company publishes assessment and development tools that help people build strong relationships at work and at home. Meredith is the author of three books, and the host of the Grow Strong Leaders Podcast .

You can get details about Meredith’s books, products, and podcast at GrowStrongLeaders.com.