At the start of every year, people come up with new goals. The world would be different if they stuck to half of the goals.
New leaders compose the most promising speeches when taking the oath of office. But within months, they ditch their manifestos.
In their vows, newlyweds commit to sticking to their marriages in joy and sorrow. But, still, one divorce case occurs every 13 seconds in America.
I am sure you know how vibrant it feels when starting a new project, goal, or resolution. But despite the excitement of embarking on new goals, few people stick to them to the end.
And, If rated, on a scale of 1-10, most people achieve a paltry 4 out of 10 of the goals they pursue.
So What Ails Us?
Lack of Commitment!!
I used to procrastinate a lot. But after retrospection, I learned, all along, I lacked commitment. And I had been putting minimal effort in many of my goals. I achieved a few of the goals, where I had the desire and the spirit of not quitting when the going got tough.
Being committed is crucial, and here is how it can spur you to achieve more of your goals.
Commitment Keeps You Focused
Commitment involves creating plans and sticking to them at all costs. Meaning, you do not fall for distractions along the way.
But, people lack patience, and concentration levels have declined. Majority of them suffer from shiny object syndrome. In turn, every new thing pulls them away from their goals.
Being committed means, you have a high desire to succeed.Your determined to overcome all success inhibitors. And before you start anything, you analyze all the aspects of its consequences.
The analysis helps you to decide whether a project is worth undertaking. Meaning, once you start it, you will get no reasons to retract. In turn, you will be nurturing a vital trait; focus.
Commitment Makes You a Good Listener
Eight thousand professionals in one study considered themselves great listeners. So, why do we have a lot of conflicts and poor relationships? While everybody finds themselves, great listeners, research shows a different picture.
There is a close relationship between listening and commitment. According to research, many marriages fail when partners stop listening to each other. And you only stop listening, when your commitment levels nose-dive.
Companies which respect and value the opinion of staffs tend to be more successful. Why? Listening wins the commitment of employees. The result, performance levels go up, and conflicts levels drop.
Commitment Breeds Sacrifice
The person who has inspired me my whole life is my Mom because she taught me commitment. She sacrificed. – Mike Krzyzewski
I recently started jogging every morning. Why? I had been leading an unhealthy lifestyle. My weight was spiraling up. I decided, at all cost, I had to commit to a workout plan. In the beginning, it was difficult. Within a few meters, I would start panting.
In my jogging sessions, I learned how far sacrifice can take a person. In spite of the pain, I never stopped moving. I had to achieve my goal.
I also learned how intertwined commitment and sacrifice are. None of the traits works without the other. In one article that I read, defined them as the brick and mortar of a relationship. Meaning, with the two characters, partners can overcome tough challenges. And hold together against all the odds.
Commitment Keeps You Disciplined
You need three things to win: discipline and hard work. But before everything; commitment. No one will make it without those three. – Haile Gebrselassie
Commitment is a declaration of intent to self, a choice. And with time it turns to an obligation. When committed to losing weight, you never miss workouts or your morning jog. Meanwhile, discipline is the continuous strive to have self-control.
The two traits are vital for success, but commitment comes first. Organizations fail to succeed when commitment levels of staff are low. Staffs who resign, most of the times quit due to declining commitment. But the change in commitment levels does not affect their discipline levels.
Achievement of goals in 100% reliant on commitment. And in the words of T.D Jakes, “you cannot conquer what you’re not committed to.”
Being committed will change how you approach your goals. Rather than immersing yourself on irrelevant plans, you will analyze all goals upfront. In turn, you will increase performance in all aspects of your life. The reason being you will focus on what is essential.