Greatness is for the committed
Commitment is the choice to go all in. It is a decision to do what is necessary.
IT means cutting off all the other options and being totally vested in an idea, concept or decision. When you commit, everything starts moving. When you commit, things start shifting. When you commit, great starts happening. Stop stating options. Stop repeating off-colour pedestrian complaints and commit. You can be whatever you dream to be — just commit. Your life experience can change totally — just commit. Whatever you dare to be you can become.
The essence of commitment to greatness is in Mr Paul J. Meyers immortal words: “Whatever you vividly imagine, ardently desire, sincerely believe, and enthusiastically act upon, MUST inevitably come to pass.”
Commitment leads to
manifestation
Until you commit you are able to dabble in double and streams of options. Change starts when you make a commitment. Commit to greatness and great things will start happening.
Mr William Hutchison Murray was a legendary Scottish Mountain climber.
In narrating his decision to conquer the highest mountain in the world, he underlines the pivot power of commitment when he says: “Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness.
“Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too.”
This is so true and powerful. When you commit, everything else starts moving. Commitment starts a greatness revolution.
Murray goes on to say: “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 favour all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.”
This is transformation and critical. When you begin, everything starts moving. Stop threatening to take action and take action. Stop hesitating and start moving. Great things are not only thought, they are acted on and created through committed action.
Commit to greatness through massive action Be sold more onto your goals than your conveniences. You do not do things because they are easy but because they are necessary and they are the evidence of commitment. Greatness at bargain prices is for the uncommitted. Greatness is not a playtime sport. Half-hearted commitments will not result in anything, but aborted attempts. You too can become great if you are committed to do what it takes. Commit and you shall surprise yourself and do what you never ever dreamt you would do.
Some years ago I was privileged to deliver a keynote transformation presentation to a special group of professionals. I talked to them about “Engagement, Agility and Alignment”. I spoke about how they could pivot the power in them through commitment to a great vision and tap into their best. I shared with them about every day commitments that you must make in order to win. I said: “If you do not control your personal environment, commit to greatness you will be controlled by the environment and become a victim. If you do not decide what you want, it will be decided for you. Greatness is for the committed.”
As I moved along in my delivery ,I shared with them the 10-90 rule, that states that life is 10 percent what happens and 90 percent what you choose to do about it and commit to.
The 10 percent represents all the things that you cannot control that happen. I emphasised: “Do not be so obsessed with the 10 percent of things that are dysfunctional and forget the 90 percent that is working. The things that you cannot change are called facts of life. Taking responsibility means choosing to focus on those things that you can control. Greatness means committing to influence everything that you can to get to where you need to go.”
I went on to share about the Stockdale Paradox and beautiful story in the legendary commitment primer: “The message to Garcia”.
I shared my thoughts on spending each day making a special contribution, being extraordinary instead of just being ordinary, mediocre, boring, bitter and complaining. That cannot be commitment to greatness.
I challenged them to be so good at what they do that they are worth noticing. I charged forward exhorting them to be “Most Valuable Players” (MVPs) in their teams. “Be the best of what you can be,” I told them, “There are not half-hearted champions.”
As I continued to inspire this team, one of the participants raised up her hand and said: “You are so right, you are reinforcing what Mohammed Ali always said.”
My mind raced through to the oft-quoted, “I am the greatest” Ali quote, but that was not what she was referring to. She paused a little and said, remember Ali’s call to commitment when he said: “I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion!”
I wanted to run. That was a light bulb moment for me.
The quote grabbed by attention and pumped massive energy into my being. I knew in sport, business or anything else, I had a choice to either hate training and live the life of a loser, complainer and cynic all my life or to love the training I hate and become a champion. That is what commitment is. It is pushing beyond the pain-barrier and is going beyond the fear-barrier.
The often ignored key to greatness is to do one thing — Decide and Commit! Imagine that one of the greatest athletes of all time said he hated every moment of training.
Training was not his hobby, it was a “must -do!” It was a commitment. He did not like training. He likely did not like eating vegetables too. He was not born predisposed to train. It was not part of his natural tendencies. That is what commitment is all about. It is a choice. Ali had to decide that training was more important than other false comforts that did not take him closer to his goals. Training was lonely, painful and hard. Stop thinking that greatness will lead you to enjoying every moment. Greatness will cause you to do what you may not like doing, but must be done.
Be committed
Many people keep stating preference and wishes. That will not take you anywhere, anytime soon. Commit and turn your goals in into an obsession — a magnificent obsession. Do not let those that are going no where tempt you into complacency. Do not let those who have given up on their dreams tempt you to abandon yours. Do not reduce your speed to match those who are driving to nowhere special.
You have a big dream, you want greatness. You are not satisfied with the present and you want more. Do not apologise for doing what other people are not willing to do. Stop wanting to behave like turkeys when you are an eagle.
Refuse to let those with a low ceiling tell you that you are doing well when you know that you can do more and be more. You are responsible for what you become. There is no magical silver bullet that you will just shoot to get everything in your life on cue. Stop looking for easy solutions to great places. Most greatness is not magic or speculation at all.
You just have to do the things that you hate but know you must do. You can become anything that you want if you are willing to commit to doing what you do not necessarily like in order to get what you like. Be obsessed, disciplined, focused and resolute.
That is commitment. Take out of view those things that do not take you to where you want to go. You cannot do everything, you cannot be everywhere, but you can do something and be someone worth noticing.
Committed to your greatness.