How to Make a Commitment - A Few Pointers To Help You
How many times have you heard people say, "I made a commitment last year and I'm really excited about following through this year," or "I want to make a commitment this year." What is the difference between those two statements? In the first sentence, the speaker is promising something, usually a specific action, but not necessarily a vow to oneself. In the second sentence, the speaker is actually saying, "I am going to make a commitment." It's the same idea - a promise made to oneself. Both statements sound nice, but what is the difference between the two?
In most cases, those statements sound good, because they make us say, "I'm committed to myself." But what if we take the words a little further? Basically, a commitment is simply an act, but not necessarily a formal commitment. It's time for us to redefine commitment. This year, rather than a specific commitment, make a personal promise, a commitment to yourself, to someone you love.
A personal promise is much better than saying, "I'm going to commit myself to x." The first sentence sounds great because it sounds like someone is promising something concrete (something that they will make happen). The second sentence sounds terrible because it sounds like someone is just telling themselves they are committed, without actually committing anything.
If you really want to make a commitment to yourself, the best way to do it is to make an individual promise to yourself, in front of the mirror. You should look at yourself in the mirror, declare that you are committed to that other person, and then promise to that person to do the things you promised to do. This works because the mirror is a great metaphor for your subconscious mind: when you look in the mirror, tell yourself what you'll be doing, and promise yourself to do it with all your heart.
Commitment is very similar to the trust, because both words require you to put something into the other person's hands. When I say, "I promise," I mean that I am willing to give up whatever it is I've been thinking about doing right now in order to receive the other person's promise. Trust means that you give something up in return for something else. In this case, you are giving up your time and your freedom. However, when you make a commitment, you are choosing to work on it over your life, so you receive a tangible benefit from the decision.
Many times, we make commitments when we are too afraid to do them. We often make a commitment to someone when we are afraid of rejection, embarrassment, or pain. It takes courage to make a commitment; however, you don't have to make a commitment in the heat of the moment. If you're unsure if you can do what it takes to accomplish your goal, sit down for a minute and ask yourself if you really believe it will be a good thing for you and the other person to do this together.
The best way to make sure you can handle all the possible outcome when you make a commitment is to focus on only one outcome. If you make a commitment to keep working on your health, never allow anyone to stop you on your path. If you make a commitment to finish your education, keep your priorities in place. Focus on just one outcome: will you be happy with your decision? Only then should you move forward.
You should also be very careful not to get caught up in what others think. The only way to become successful at anything is to do what works for you. If you are always worried that someone is going to disapprove of your decision, you are wasting your time worrying. Instead, focus on what works for you, and how it has changed your life. If you use this approach with careful consideration, you will find that you have more success in your life.