The personal development field is rife with promises of the power of commitment, specifically the commitment to change old patterns or the commitment to strive towards new goals. If you’ve ever been to a personal development seminar, you’ve likely been led through an exercise to get clear on what you want, decide on what new actions you’ll take, and finally, commit to taking action. You’re excited, you’re focus, and you’re committed.

Sort of.

Your heart says you’re committed and your mind knows you want to, but are you really, truly and honestly committed? And this doesn’t just apply to decisions you make at an empowering seminar. How many times have you proclaimed (even if it’s just to yourself) that you are committed to change and yet you somehow don’t follow through to the extent you wanted to nor the depth you “committed” to?

The funny thing about commitment is that commitment is not a noun, it is a verb. Commitment is not a statement or a conviction, commitment is ACTION! The old adage of ‘actions speak louder than words’ is no more true than it is with commitment.

When you proclaim that you are committed to change, you’re really just saying “I really want to change”. True commitment shows up in continuous action until you get the results you desire.

So the next time you say you’re committed, realise that the proof is in the action.

Action Points

Identify an area of your life where you recently have made a statement of commitment yet are not getting the result you want, and ask yourself:

  1. What did I commit to?
  2. What actions have I taken that move me closer to my outcome?
  3. What additional actions could I take to move me even more close to my outcome?

And the next thing to do is of course….TAKE ACTION!