Commitment is an Essential Ingredient to a Winning Life

“There’s a difference between interest and commitment. When you’re interested in doing something, you do it only when circumstance permit. When you’re committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results.” Unknown

Have you ever made a commitment to yourself or someone and did not follow through? How did it make you feel?

If a basketball player desires to take his game to another level, he must make the commitment to work relentlessly. He will arrive to practice before everyone to take extra shots and he will stay late after practice to take more shots. He will exercise to stay in good condition so that he is in prime shape.

The basketball player understands that commitment is not something that happens because you dream of it. It doesn’t just show up because you say you want to be a better player. Commitment doesn’t happen because you practice for a week or two.

Commitment arises when there is a binding agreement between your heart, mind and emotions that moves you on a daily course of action towards your purpose. When this occurs, you will not allow the distractions of the world’s false promises of success detour you.

If you desire to make real commitments, here are five essential truths that will empower you.

 1.  Commitment is demonstrated by action. Your commitment to a task is not measured by your words. If it was, a lot of people would have accomplished some tremendous things. However, your words do not matter if you never take action.

If you want to lose weight then commit to an exercise and diet plan that you follow daily. If you stood at an altar and made marital vows before God and a congregation of people, commit to being a faithful and loving husband or wife. If you fathered or mothered children, commit to training them in a Godly manner. The real progress of commitment is demonstrated by the consistent actions you take daily.

 2.  Commitment determines what is worth dying for. I am not necessarily talking about physical death. I am referring to putting to death things that hinder you from making lasting commitments. When you put to death the things that interrupt your commitments, you bring greater value to your life and family.

Don’t make haphazard commitments that are only based on money and possessions. Don’t make careless commitments that separate you from God and family. Don’t over commit in one area of life that you neglect the other areas. None of these are worth dying for. The commitments that are worth dying for are the ones that enhance your life and empower those connected to you.

 3.  Commitment originates in the heart. Commitment does not occur because you dream about doing something great or you see someone accomplishing awesome things. It is not something that someone can give you by attending a seminar or reading a bestselling book. Those things are good tools for inspiration and encouragement, but true commitment originates in the heart of a person that desires to achieve something of significance.

They are willing to make an unwavering commitment to follow their vision even under adverse circumstances. They won’t let anyone or anything detour their progress. They won’t let the economy or the job market drain their energy. They won’t allow failure and doubt hinder their journey. They make a commitment from the heart and determine not to succumb to the intense pressures to give up or quit.

 4.  Commitment can be measured over time. If you ever want to see how committed you are to a goal, measure your progress. Document your goal with specific dates that you want to accomplish certain tasks. After a couple of months, review your progress and see how you measure up.

If you set a goal to lose ten pounds, check your goal periodically to see where you stand. If after a couple of months you have gained two pounds or you are at the same place, you need to check your commitment. You may have set a goal you never had any real intentions on achieving.

5.   Commitment opens the door for opportunities. The great thing about making a real commitment is the doors of opportunity that open. A lot of people commit to achieving a goal for a while, but because things don’t happen the way they want, they give up. If someone does not do things exactly the way they want him or her to do it, they will walk away.

Don’t forfeit doors of opportunity opening in your life because things do not go your way or life gets tough. Live up to your commitments and watch the doors of opportunity open in a great way.

Please don’t think because you make a commitment to accomplish a goal that things will automatically fall into place. It is false hope to believe everyone close to you will support your efforts. It is a myth to think that because God gives you a vision, you are going to experience a smooth ride without encountering some struggles.

Sometimes the exact opposite happens. Your life may get more chaotic. Things that use to work may stop working. Individuals that said they would support you, leave you hanging. That does not mean you give up. It may mean that you are on the right track to living out you commitments. 

Question: What commitments do you need to make to live a winning life? Leave a comment below.

Image courtesy: freedigitalphotos.net