The promises we make
“Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes, but no plans”
Peter F. Drucker
How do you keep the promises you make to yourself? Let’s face it, life gets in the way of our best intentions. But we have a powerful force on our side. Commitment.
What are your associations with the word commitment? Burden, responsibility, and obligation? Allegiance, loyalty, and devotion?
The thing is, commitment gets us into action and keeps us in the long game.
A key driver of commitment is feeling connected to the vision of the change we want to make. The hope of visioning and the resonance of possibility both fuel commitment†.
I think of commitment as having two integral parts: Getting to commitment and staying in commitment. Both are essential for sustained behavior change.
Getting committed:
- Find the resonant vision or dream. How does new behavior or routine help you achieve your dream? Will you keep doing this even if you were the last person on earth?
- Connect with your Why‡. How does this intended promise relate to your Why? What’s your cause and your purpose? Why do you wake up in the morning?
- Make the decision to commit. In a coaching session, I will often ask a client to find a demarcation on the floor to step over to symbolize crossing over from the land of possibility to the land of commitment.
Staying committed:
- Set the goals, actions, habits, and routines that will support your commitment. ¥
- Write them down. You’re 42% more likely to achieve your goals if you write them down! α
- Make them public. µ We tend to want to appear consistent in our words and actions, so telling someone will make it more likely that we will follow through. Remember that time you tried to make a change without telling anyone in case it didn’t work out? How did it work out?
- Find an accountability partner. A coach is often preferable to a good friend. µ
- Review your goals regularly and make adjustments to keep moving forward.
- When you wobble, reconnect to your why and recommit. Recommitment is the repetition that makes the commitment muscle stronger. Ω
“Commitment is what transforms a promise into reality”
Abraham Lincoln
Sources:
† Boyatzis R et al. Ideal self as the driver of intentional change
‡ Simon Sinek. Start with why
¥ Courtney Newnham-Kanas et al. Behavior change
α Gail Matthews. Goals research summary
µ Monika Lindquist Getting consumers to say yes: commitment and consistency
Ω Robbie Swale. The coach’s journey