My word this week is Commitment.
To me, commitment means there are no excuses or extenuating circumstances. Ever! When you commit to something or someone, make sure you understand the terms of your agreement. It is a promise, wrapped in trust, and delivered on time (if not early).
Commitment is also the magic ingredient for business owners that turns dreams into reality. We know that few things in life are handed to us. Our ships don’t come in; we must swim out to them. Overnight success? It was 20 years in the making.
The commitments that business owners make to themselves and their teams start with an initial decision to take a journey to somewhere they’ve never been before. That’s the easy part. Almost everyone is “motivated” by goals, and to achieve great things.
The first few weeks are the “honeymoon phase.” The hard part is when obstacles begin to appear on the road to success. What happens when a company loses a large client or a top salesperson? Or when computers get hacked or buildings burn down?
The test is how a company handles adversity. Do they back down or work to remove the obstacle? What happens when the second and third obstacles hit? Is everyone still committed to their goals? Obstacles aren’t the enemy of commitment—they are the litmus test for it.
In a world where change is the only constant, commitment gives us a north star. It keeps us grounded when everything starts to go sideways. It’s about showing up day after day, especially when it’s the last thing we feel like doing.
I love this quote from Jim Rohn about commitment: “If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.”
In commitment, we find our growth, success, and, ultimately, fulfillment. The only question left that you need to ask is, “How bad do I want it?”
