Reduce Angst by Increasing Your Commitment
Why do we sometimes struggle to achieve certain goals, while others that are even more challenging are accomplished without much difficulty or stress?
Any goal designed to create change or transformation takes commitment. And your commitment level – to do what it takes to achieve the goal – determines your experience as you work toward that goal.
Why is that?
Why does a 100% commitment to do what is necessary actually make achieving the goal easier?
Let’s first look at why setting out to achieve a goal with an iffy commitment level makes achieving the goal harder.
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Change is Difficult Only When You Haven’t Committed to It
Making changes you don’t really want to make is exhausting, stressful and defeating.
Your mind knows if you perceive a goal as worthwhile. And if you’re not committed to the end goal, your mind is designed to encourage you to put your time, energy and other resources toward something that you want more.
And by encourage, I’ll use the term we typically use self-sabotage.
In order to overcome temptation to do what’s easy or more comfortable, you’ve got to first be completely clear about why you want to achieve a certain goal and then make the decision to commit yourself 100% to its attainment.
If you are suffering when you are working towards a goal, it’s your lack of commitment that is causing it. Commitment is what ends that dramatic internal struggle and indecisiveness.
When you are committed, you do not question what you need to do, you don’t resist it. You throw yourself into doing the required actions. And you do this with full awareness that some of these actions are difficult or uncomfortable because they are not what you are accustomed to.
When you’re committed, hardship doesn’t stop you.
Instead, you are much more aware of the benefits that are beginning to show up because you are looking for them.
I think that is where a lot of our struggle comes from. We get torn when faced with a decision but when you are committed there is no decision to make. You already know the answer.
We are very aware of this in a long-term relationship. We’re willing to have the hard conversations because our commitment to the relationship is so much greater than the discomfort of getting vulnerable and risking being hurt.
Think of your greatest achievements. They likely required a lot from you, but those requirements were nothing compared to the benefits of achieving the goal.
Other examples that come to mind are earning a degree, having children, and yes, getting promoted.
There were likely numerous skills you needed to develop to be able to step into a promotion. And likely it was difficult to develop some of those skills. You had to stretch outside your comfort zone, consistently put in the work.
If your commitment level was high, you would have enjoyed seeing the progress you were making along the way.
7 Ways Your Commitment Makes Your Life Easier
1. Your commitment creates clear priorities.
When you’re committed to specific goals or values, it helps you prioritize your time, energy, and resources. Clarity of purpose reduces decision fatigue because you already know the answer, and enables you to focus on what truly matters to you.
2. Your commitment increases your motivation.
Commitment provides a strong internal motivation to persevere through challenges and setbacks. It helps you stay motivated and determined, even when faced with obstacles. Especially when faced with obstacles. If you are 100% committed, obstacles are never reasons to stop; they are reasons to get better.
I love this quote by john f. Kennedy:
“Frank O’Connor, the Irish writer, tells in one of his books how, as a boy, he and his friends would make their way across the countryside, and when they came to an orchard wall that seemed too high and too doubtful to try and too difficult to permit their voyage to continue, they took off their hats and tossed them over the wall–and then they had no choice but to follow them.”
3. Your commitment creates consistency.
When you have clear priorities and your motivated, you’re more likely to follow through consistently, which leads to better outcomes. Being inconsistent is stressful for you and for others. When you’re not sure what decision you’re going to make it messes with your self-image. This can create so much cognitive distress that you may decide the goal isn’t worth the torment.
4. Your commitment reduces distractions.
Commitment helps you filter out distractions that are not aligned with your goals or values. It allows you to stay focused on what’s important and ignore temptations, making life more streamlined and efficient.
5. Your commitment gives you a sense of fulfillment.
Staying committed brings a sense of accomplishment. It boosts your self-esteem and confidence, leading to a more positive outlook on life and making challenges feel more manageable.
6. Your commitment creates stronger relationships.
Commitment in relationships, whether personal or professional, fosters trust, reliability, and mutual support. It makes communication easier and strengthens bonds, reducing conflicts and misunderstandings.
7. Your commitment inspires others.
We all want to be inspired. We are consciously or unconsciously on the lookout for role models to show us how to accomplish our goals and live our lives more purposefully. When others know your goal and witness your commitment to that goal, they are likely to ask to join or support you on your journey.
Your Commitment is Crucial for You as a Leader
1. Your Commitment Give You Long-term Vision.
Commitment helps leaders maintain a long-term vision for their development and the development of their teams. It keeps them focused on goals and objectives despite challenges or setbacks.
2. Your Commitment Builds Resilience.
Committed leaders are more resilient in the face of adversity. They are better equipped to handle failures, learn from them, and bounce back stronger.
3. Creates Consistency.
Commitment promotes consistency in leadership behavior. It ensures that leaders follow through on their promises, remain steadfast in their values, and provide stability to their teams.
4. Inspiration.
Committed leaders inspire others. When team members see their leaders dedicated and passionate about their development, they are more motivated to invest in their own growth and contribute to the organization’s success.
5. Your Commitment Makes You a Role Model
Committed leaders serve as role models for their teams. They demonstrate the importance of dedication, perseverance, and continuous improvement, setting a positive example for others to emulate.
6. Your Commitment Builds Trust.
Commitment builds trust within teams and organizations. When leaders are committed to their own development and the development of their teams, it fosters a culture of trust, transparency, and accountability.
Commitment is a game-changer.
The moment you fully commit to your goals and follow through without knowing for certain what the ultimate outcome will be, it’s the moment doors will start to open.
Until you commit and take decisive action, you’re on the sidelines and nobody knows what you need. They don’t know how to contribute to you.
Many of my clients first started working with me because they wanted to commit to a goal but they needed that support system, accountability, and a partner who understood the journey that they were on.
If that sounds like you, I invite you to reach out to me so we can chat. It may be that working with me might be the perfect thing for you or it maybe I can give you a few perspectives that can get you started on the right path.
“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy,
the chance to draw back—
Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation),
there is one elementary truth that ignorance of which
kills countless ideas and splendid plans:
that the moment one definitely commits oneself,
then Providence moves too.
All sorts of things occur to help one
that would never otherwise have occurred.
A whole stream of events issues from the decision,
raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents
and meetings and material assistance,
which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.
Whatever you can do, or dream you can do,
begin it.
Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.
Begin it now.”
~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Thank you!
Thank you so much for listening to the Women Taking the Lead podcast. Not yet subscribed to the podcast? Hit the follow or subscribe button so you don’t miss out on the upcoming episodes. And if you know anyone else who can benefit from this episode, please share it with them.
If you are looking for leadership development opportunities for yourself, your team or your organization, reach out to me. We can customize a program that meets your specific needs. You can reach me at jodi@womentakingthelead.com.
As always, I hope this was of value to you and here’s to your success!
Resources
Connect with Jodi Flynn on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodiflynn
Leadership Coaching. Let’s chat about what you want to accomplish and discover if my coaching process is a fit.
Apply to be on an “On-Air Coaching” episode. Are you a female leader who has been promoted in the last year? Apply to be on the podcast.
Leadership Operating System Inventory. Wondering what kind of Leadership traits you have? Take this FREE, FAST self-assessment and find out more about yourself as a Leader.
Saboteur Assessment: Find out which Saboteurs are impacting your performance, wellness and relationships, and how they do it.
Accomplished: How to Go from Dreaming to Doing. A simple, step by step system that gives you the foundational structure to take your goals and make them happen.
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