What are you committed to?
I asked myself this question recently, and realized that it was more difficult to answer than I expected. Outside of the obvious, such as family, friends, health, well-being, etc., I had to examine my values and behavior a little more deeply.
I realized that I have many goals and aspirations, which I’m often focused on and believe in. But am I truly committed to these endeavors? For certain tasks, it’s easy to see different levels of commitment. I can clearly say I am more focused and involved with many tasks over others. This makes gauging commitment a little tricky.
Can we just be “sort of” committed, or does this constitute a different category and label. Is the current state of our life what we are committed to?
Or, have we ceased to take action because of the struggles we know we might have to face?
All people set goals and resolutions, and easily slip back into old habits. We are all haunted by the excuses and “yeah buts” that have cost us countless opportunities for growth and expansion.
Many people are attached to comfort, safety, and simplicity. These values are important and can provide much tranquility, though to truly grow and expand we must find an area of our life where commitment supersedes comfort. Do your commitments live up to your dreams?
What is the thing you would choose to do despite external reward and feedback? Commitment is what spurs us to take action, and what we would be willing to give 100% to achieve, while putting aside personal gain and recognition.
Being committed is a willingness to do whatever it takes to fulfill and follow through on a responsibility. It may not even be what we most enjoy, but none the less, being committed means we are going to do it regardless. Commitment is essential to being a winner and achieving our loftiest goals.
Being dedicated and committed is part of growing and transcending to the next level. Each of us comes from a diverse and varied background, and are dedicated to different values and involve in countless missions.
Regardless of our mission and direction in life, there are three keys to staying committed to your goals. These are: sacrifice, purpose, and determination.
Sacrifice
A primary key to knowing we are committed is when we are willing to make sacrifice in order to achieve our goals. Consider the young athlete willing to practice and train countless hours everyday, or anyone in the armed forces who literally sacrifice their life for the greater good. Commitment through sacrifice also relates to the concept of loyalty. Do we stand by our commitment even though it will cause interruptions in other areas of life? If we are willing to give-up the convenient and comfortable options to take a more challenging path, there is a good chance we are committed to this mission.
Purpose
To have commitment we must find meaning and purpose behind the mission we are pursuing. Purpose is similar to passion, and the development of a passion that spurs us toward our mission is half the battle of achieving goals. Passion is what drives us forward. It’s what gets us out of bed each day and what keeps us awake with excitement at night. Without an inner sense of purpose and motivation, it becomes much more difficult to sustain commitment. Look deep inside yourself and begin examining what ignites your passion for life right now. Explore this area as an area of commitment.
Determination
Determination and commitment go hand in hand. There will be inevitable set-backs along the way to achieving success, and without the determination to overcome these road-blocks, commitment begins to waver. We must face obstacles with resiliency and fortitude. This involves learning to problem solve and take the necessary steps to work past barriers. It can even translate to career-related dilemmas, such as if you’re stuck in a rut and need to upgrade your skills in business and logistics, pushing yourself to take up courses like a Master of Supply Chain online can greatly benefit you. Instead of viewing change and unexpected outcomes as problems we can begin to view them as challenges. We can start to feel invigorated and energized by the chance to rise to the occasion. Being determined means we accept and perceive these challenges as a part of the journey toward the larger accomplishment we are committed to.
Are You Up for it?
Finding the areas of commitment in your life can simplify what you focus on and establish a clearer direction and purpose. Though, at the same time, there may be a cost for the utter dedication it takes to be committed. It takes courage to face the uncertainty, fear, and discomfort of branching out of the ordinary and into the extraordinary. Making a definite decision to be committed means you must take action. This means potential excuses must be accounted for ahead of time, and there can be no more waiting for the perfect moment. You must continue to take action despite resistance. You will encounter other people who are willing to support your cause, as well as people who threaten your insistence and steadfast purpose to it’s attainment. With this in mind, it will be important to hold your course. Develop a plan and examine how determined you really are. Do your goals provide you fulfillment and purpose? Are you willing to make sacrifice? If you have the willpower to follow and maintain the three keys to commitment you will be on your way to influencing others, discovering your life’s purpose, and finding fulfillment through your life’s mission.
