Achieving even the simplest goal requires learning the concept of commitment.
Throughout our lives, we are reminded of commitment, whether it relates to personal or professional goals, and we realize that without it we cannot achieve anything.
Written by guest writer and Mentorly mentor, Thanasis Papapostolou
If you think about it, what you have achieved has been achieved because of your commitment, be it your children, your studies, your work, or even your house. However, learning to commit is not just taking responsibilities, it is to hold on to those commitments even when you face predictable and unpredictable obstacles.
Here are some tips that will help you commit & change your life:
1. Do not participate – commit.
When you want to achieve a project, you invest yourself in it completely. Why? Because it is not enough to simply participate. Participation means you have not committed enough and if you have not committed enough to this project you are working on, it will not see the light of day.
You cannot work on many things at the same time and expect excellent results. Make sure you do one thing, and invest everything in it.
2. If you do not know how to commit, someone else will do it
There’s someone out there who knows everything you know and they’re probably not the only one.
We live in an extremely competitive environment and to tell you the truth, this is tedious. Well, what are you gonna do? Are you going to give up? Probably not, but why? You are programmed to keep fighting – whenever you think you have reached the bottom, you are linked to an internal mechanism based on millions of years of evolution and whose sole purpose is our survival. You may have to run and hide to be able to fight another day, or to fight with tooth and nails to get what you need.
You have probably heard about this survival instinct. In this mode, the pupils dilate, the pulse goes up and the blood pressure increases to give more oxygen to the brain and the muscles. This reaction allows you to give even more in a competitive environment… but keep in mind that the same thing happens within your competitor’s body too. That is why anyone who has the strongest commitment will be the winner.
3. Never let it go!
Resignation is, in my opinion, very expensive lesson. You pay for that lesson with the time you lost, the energy you wasted, and with a big blow to your ego. However, sometimes you may find yourself with your back to the wall and you must take drastic measures to save the situation.
Here are 3 basic reasons why people are giving up:
Perfectionism.
Lack of faith.
General failure to meet commitments due to historical failures.
All three are tied together. The more you fail, the less committed you become. If you are less committed, you have less faith. If you have no faith in what you are doing, any non-perfect situation can break your determination. It is so simple.
Fight against perfectionism, fight the lack of faith (either to yourself or to others) and fight so the story stops repeating itself.
4. Release your mind, and everything else will follow
When you are devoted to something, your mind is transformed into a beacon. There are no longer any decisions that need to be taken, just focusing on the goal you have before you.
But what happens when you suddenly change your mind? When the choice you have made is no longer as attractive as you thought it would be?
The problem is the choice, the thought that you could have made a different decision. That’s why when you make a choice, weigh it very carefully and hold on to it without looking back.
5. Commit to something bigger than yourself
If you have problems with commitment, it would be useful to commit yourself to the environment of a group. The most likely way to overcome the fear of commitment is to commit to something bigger than you, and in a group, you can get support from others for both motivation and support. In a dedicated group, everyone works for the good of the team.
In conclusion, commitment allows us to fulfil our most basic needs and achieve the most desirable dreams. It gives us a purpose. It’s never too late to learn how to commit to yourself.
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Written by guest writer and Mentorly mentor, Thanasis Papapostolou
Disclaimer: Original blog post in Greek