Committing to something.
What does that actually mean?
Whether we're talking commitment in fitness, commitment to family, commitment to a relationship, or committing to being a better employee, worker, or spouse it comes down to four things.
1. A strong desire.
Without a compelling reason, it's really hard to commit to something. You'll need a clear and personal reason to commit to something. When things get difficult (which they will) you'll need a strong desire and compelling reason to stay committed, if you don't have that as your base, you won't stay committed. With a strong desire, a strong "why", you are capable of much more than you think you are and you'll have a strong commitment.
2. Keystone actions.
Once you have a strong desire to accomplish something, you'll need to identify the core actions that are going to get you there, the keystone actions. Remember, it's what we do that counts, and there are numerous activities to accomplish a task. However, it's important to stay focused on the "big rocks" the keystone actions, the things that produce the greatest results. Remember the 80/20 rule. 20% of your actions produce 80% of your results. Focus on the big things that make the most impact.
3. Count the costs.
In any commitment, there are going to be costs associated. It may be actual money, but it also may be the costs like time, uncertainty, loss of comfort, etc. For example, if you have a strong desire to drop some body fat percentage, there's going to be costs associated with it. You're going to have to dedicate time away from other things to work out, you may have to say no to some social things to not put yourself in a poor nutritional setting, and of course, there is the cost of probably feeling a little scared or uncomfortable in the beginning. With any commitment comes some type of costs, and you have to ask yourself, are you willing to pay the price?
4. Act on commitments, not feelings.
There will be plenty of times when you don't feel like doing the critical activities required for the desired outcome. Things like waking up early, going to the gym after work instead of going home, or maybe going somewhere you really don't want to go but you know it will make your spouse happy. It's during these hard times we need to learn how to act on commitments, not on feelings. If not, you'll never build momentum, and learning to do things you know you need to do, regardless of how you feel, is a core principle of success.
There you have it.
The 4 keys to successful commitment.
As always, I love how this applies to not only fitness but all other aspects of life as well.
I'll be back tomorrow to wrap up the week.
1% Better.
Dedicated to Your Success,
Doug Spurling