To some it strikes fear. To others it brings a sense of purpose. Many struggle with it. Those who embrace it know comfort and trust. I’m talking about the dirty word commitment. Why is it that commitment is so difficult? Today let’s take a look how commitment and purpose can improve your life and make you a better person.
Everyday we make excuses to avoid commitment. We try to please others in this politically correct world. When I look at the world, I see people being ruled by fear and weakness. They care too much about what other people think. They stand for nothing. And as the saying goes, “they will fall for anything.”
Lack of commitment has left its mark on society. Weakness and fragility are easily conquered without warning. If only people knew that commitment is the tool that can make them stronger and give them the will to fight.
Commitment creates a bond of mutual trust. It creates an understanding and obligation between two parties. It provides purpose and a pledge to uphold.
Committing to Relationships
When guys think of commitment, it is usually tied to some girl who want’s to make a relationship “serious.” Guys tend to think of commitment as settling down, giving in, or becoming complacent. This could not be further from the truth.
True commitment involves putting yourself into something 100%. It means a pledge, promise, or obligation. Commitment builds trusting bonds. Those bonds strengthen the character of all involved. Think of your closest friends. Why do you trust them? I would venture to say it’s because they are committed to you and you to them. It is a mutual pledge upheld with honor.[shareable cite=”Robby Miles”]If we let fear and perfection rule our lives, we risk everything to achieve nothing.[/shareable]
Think about your kids. The relationship you build will have a tremendous impact on how they view trust for the rest of their life. There is trust and permanence. There is something bigger than the individual. The whole is greater than the sum of the parts.
Committing to Something Bigger
Every Soldier, Marine, Airman, and Sailor knows the feeling of raising their right hand and swearing their life to their country. If this blank check to the government is not commitment, I don’t know what it is.
I enlisted in the National Guard when I was 25. At the time I was a father of two. I’d graduated college with my masters degree. Though graduate school was tough, I had never really put my life and reputation on the line. The commitment to being a Soldier would forever challenge the very core of my being. It would expose me to new ways of life and new experiences. Were it not for this commitment, I would still be easily controlled by fear and perfectionism.[shareable cite=”Robby Miles”]With commitment comes responsibility followed by action.[/shareable]
The biggest difference between graduate school and the military was how my life had taken on a larger meaning and significance. I was no longer an individual doing things for myself. I was an important part of something bigger. Something that made a difference in the lives of others. Even upon swearing-in as an Officer, I committed to serving the troops under my command. With commitment comes responsibility followed by action.
It is no different in your marriage. When I got married at 20 years old, I thought I knew what I was doing and what I was getting myself into. I didn’t realize the struggles we would face as newlyweds. But, my wife and I were committed to something bigger, keeping marriage first. Through the struggles, the commitment we had allowed us to grow together and create the family we want. It is bigger than just the two of us.
Conclusion
Jeff Goins, in The Art of Work, shares the following thought on commitment, “The risk of not committing is greater than the cost of making the wrong choice.” If we let fear and perfection rule our lives, we risk everything to achieve nothing. We will never be successful or create meaningful change. Only through commitment and taking chances can we become something better.
