Are You Committed?

Dr. Peter Senge author of “The Fifth Discipline” describes the difference between “commitment” and “compliance.” To illustrate his point he uses the late President John Kennedy’s quote that the United States should set as a goal "landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth" by the end of the decade.

We during that time as a nation, as businesses, as people were committed to meeting this goal. I still remember watching “live” on TV, the first time we landed on the moon and retuning them safely to the earth.

Often when I work with organizations they falsely believe that their employees are committed to the company’s goals but in reality..they are just “compliant” but not “committed.” This is the same for individuals.

We set our own goals but...are we “committed?”...or...are we “compliant.”
Have you ever set a goal and not achieved it? Most people have. In fact, itís quite common for people to get stuck in an endless cycle of setting goals and then quitting them shortly afterwards and accomplishing nothing at all.

Why do people do this?

One of the biggest reasons is a lack of commitment to their goal. Without commitment a goal will gradually shrink in importance, and the temptation to quit will seem much more attractive, especially when obstacles cause setbacks and delays.

On the other hand, if you make a serious commitment and then continually remind yourself of it, you will be much more likely to persevere and achieve the goal.

Here ís how to commit to your goals:

1- First and foremost, you have to make sure that every goal you set is of VITAL importance to you. 
This can be tricky because we so often fool ourselves into thinking we want one thing when we want something entirely different. Take some time with this part of the process, and be sure that you get to the heart of what you really want. 

• Why do you want it? 
• What will it do for you? 
• What positive things will it bring to your life? 
• How will it help you? 
• How will it make you feel when itís accomplished?

Write all of this down and keep it handy so you can refer to it as often as necessary if you feel your commitment beginning to slip.

Also ask yourself if your goal is worth the effort and sacrifice that will be needed to achieve it. If you can honestly answer yes, you are on the way! If not and go back and make adjustments and then ask yourself again.

2- Think about what will happen if you do not follow through. 
Would nothing much happen if you do not achieve your goal? If not, then you need to raise the stakes! You have to make your goal the most important thing in the world, and if you do not do it, you will deal with negative consequences. Even if you have to indulge in a bit of make believe...my mentor would tell me “fake it till you make it.”

3- Then, each and every day, renew your commitment. 

It ís easy to be committed if your goal is new and your motivation is high, but you need to be able to STAY committed ñ no matter what! Each day when you awaken, read through the goal you wrote down on the first day, and stress again how vitally important it is to you. Promise yourself that you are going to do as much as you can to work on your goal that day, and every day until you achieve it.

When it comes right down to it, no one can achieve your goals for you. 

If you want to achieve them, you will have to find the determination necessary to keep going. Inactivity and procrastination are usually nothing more than bad habits. Turning those habits into something more positive and productive is as simple as taking it a day at a time and working your hardest to change your life. The more committed and determined you are to making your goal happen, the more likely you will do just that.

Bottom Line: Remember the Nike commercial a few years ago...”Just Do It!”

Be the Difference!
Richard