My friend Ken Blanchard says, “When you’re interested in something, you do it only when its convenient. When you’re committed to something, you accept no excuses, only results.”- John Maxwell, Today Matters, p.168
Anything worth having is going to be a struggle. Commitment doesn’t come easy, but when you’re fighting for something you believe in, the struggle is worth it.-John Maxwell, Today Matters, p. 165
During my lunch break at work, I have been going through Today Matters by John Maxwell. His reads are always useful for daily life. He gives you solid advice and practical exercises in sound bites that you can take throughout the day. You can pick up his book at any time, read a chapter or paragraph and still walk away with a lot to chew on.
I think the biggest thing that I have realized about myself is a discrepancy between my beliefs and my commitment level to those beliefs. My pattern of commitment looks like the following:
- read, study, absorb, get excited
- set up regimen/ plan
- go hard and strong for about 1-3 weeks (if I am lucky)
- get distracted
- totally forget there is a regimen until 1-2 months later
- guilt is always close behind
How much of my thought patterns set me up for failure? My favorite and most worn out excuse is, I’m tired. I am going through the exercise of realizing that every time I say no, it is still a decision and a break in my commitment. The realization and understanding that I am breaking a commitment helps me to adjust my attitude to a yes.
What areas in your life do you need to recommit? What thought patterns need to be broken to move you towards a yes?
