The Power Of A Commitment

There’s a really powerful shift that happens when you make a commitment to something. And to be clear, a commitment is not that you like the idea of something, or you have the intention to do something... But that you’re fully prepared to make something happen.

This means you’ve set up your environment to be conducive to success, you have clarity on exactly what you’re hoping to do and the plan you’ll be following to do it, and accountability that provides a consequence to not following through on it.

Now here’s the shift. When you make a commitment, your mind is no longer occupied with determining if you want to do something and it begins figuring out how you’ll do it.

Read that again: When you make a commitment, your mind is no longer occupied with determining if you want to do something and it begins figuring out how you’ll do it.

We can get so caught up in thinking too much. Is this really what I want, is this the right way to do it, is this even worth it? And while those are important perspectives to have, it’s very possible to overdo it. Overthinking is a form of self-sabotage that keeps you stuck exactly where you are.

Making a commitment allows you to convert all of that mental energy into something more productive and actionable.

Let’s say you want to release weight. Is it 10 pounds, or is it 50? Is it before or after the Holidays or this big work push? Overthinking will cause you to conclude something that is comfortable, which usually means that you decide to delay what you actually want. 

So make a commitment: I’m going to lose 10 pounds in 10 weeks. Perfect! Now you get to start thinking about what you need to do to make that happen. Or better yet, I’m going to lose 10 pounds in 10 days. Same thing - How? Well your mind will find a different set of solutions to meet that new commitment.

A bit divergent but relevant, this is at the core of what Dr. Benjamin Hardy calls 10x thinking. When you set a goal, or make a commitment that is 10x the scale as what’s comfortable, it forces you to think differently about the problem.

But the primary point here, the only way you get into that solution-oriented thinking is by first making a firm commitment (one that is clear and known to yourself and others), and then your mind will start figuring out how to get started. 

So what’s a commitment you can make today to reach your goals? It’s worth considering, isn’t it?