Have Commitment
“The Magic of Quantum Leap Thinking™” Part 10: Have Commitment
Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too.
All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.
― William Hutchison Murray, “The Scottish Himalayan Expedition”
Before I decided to buy a Toyota Land Cruiser, I never really noticed any on the road. However, the morning following my commitment to buy one, I went out for breakfast and I could swear the world had given birth to Land Cruisers. They were everywhere. Obviously they were always there, but I had not noticed them.
If it works for Land Cruisers why can’t it work for anything within the power of the imagination? That’s the magic: it can.
Unlocking the Power of Commitment: Transforming Vision into Reality
Commitment triggers a sort of inner visualization. It provides you with an unconscious awareness. When you make a commitment, you see things that had previously been invisible to you, possibilities you filtered out. Commitment truly makes the invisible-visible.
Top management consultant Ken Blanchard states “There is a great difference between simple interest and commitment. When you are interested and doing something, you do it only when it’s convenient. When you are committed to some thing, you accept no excuses, only results.”
Commitment gives strength, energy, and direction. It creates seemingly magical outcomes. You may wish to look at this phenomenon as extracting from the universe what we need to support our commitment. Whatever view you choose to take, the end result is the same. It works like magic. People who are committed are passionate and enthusiastic. They have power and resources. They have developed courage in the willingness to take risks.
We know all that, and yet the fear of commitment is one of our most basic fears. If you can imagine total commitment without thinking about what you might lose or jeopardize, you are among the very few.
We wish and fantasize and may even have good intentions, but without commitment, we often change our minds, we are bored, and we fill our lives with complaints. We find excuses, drag ourselves to work, and concern ourselves with simple survival. Too many of us view ourselves as victims with no control of our destiny.
Stoking the Fire Within: The Essence and Power of Personal Commitment
Commitment is taking a stand, regardless of circumstances or what people say or do to discourage you. It is keeping your word at all costs. The choice of personal commitment is vast: commitment to your family, your career, your health, your personal or organizational vision or service to others.
Let’s fire up your thinking:
Answer these three questions quickly:
- What is your definition of the word “commitment?”
- What comes to mind when you think about commitment, yours or anyone else’s?
- Now, think of one area where you would like to commit yourself-a relationship, for example, or a passion like painting, music or writing.
‘Commit’ comes from the Latin “committere,” which means to ignite action: “to bring together, join, entrust, and do.” Commitment emerges from the decision to do something. It blossoms from our own desires. It is a promise of the heart from which you will move forward, no matter the resistance.
Developing commitment is a skill you can learn. Start easy. Choose one very simple and easy short-term goal or activity to which you think you can commit yourself for one week only. Just one week. Anything from taking a 10 minute walk every morning to writing in your journal, spending five minutes with your son or daughter or grandchild to a half-hour reading a book.
After the week is over, choose a larger goal and do it again. Do it even if you are afraid to. Fear does not always translate into increased performance, but commitment does.
“Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.”– Goethe
IMAGINE THAT!
James Mapes is a keynote speaker, best-selling author, coach and hypnotist. His most recent book IMAGINE THAT! Igniting Your Brain for Creativity and Peak Performance is the first web-supported book with access to 21 video-coaching clips.
James Mapes is the founder of Quantum Leap Thinking™, creator of The Transformational Coach™, expert on the psychology of “applied imagination,” best-selling author, highly acclaimed business speaker, consultant, seminar leader and personal excellence coach.