I believe if you are going to be successful in anything, you must first make a commitment. It is the first step. No matter what it is, it must start with true commitment! It can not be lip service! A wise coach once told me, that being committed is like being pregnant. You either are, or you are not. There is no in between. You can not be “kinda” pregnant. It is the same with being committed, you either are, or you are not.

We are in the second month of 2018. Time flies, right? I want you to think about all those New Year resolutions or goals you made at the start of the year. It is easy to talk about changing then. There are so many Nike or Apple commercials that motivate and get you fired up. So, are you still working on them? If not, then I’m afraid you did not really commit. I love this quote from Inky Johnson, he says “Commitment is staying true to what you said you would do long after the mood you said it in has left.”  You probably had good intentions. I am sure you were motivated. I am sure you were inspired, but you were not committed.

The high school football team I coach for, has a commitment night before the season starts. It is an awesome night! We gather in a room and one by one, coaches and players go up to the front. We put our hand on a team helmet, and commit to the team. It is powerful stuff. We laugh, we cry, we draw closer to one another. And as the season progresses, we remind everyone about the commitment they made to their brothers. It makes a big difference through the season. I believe this works because each player has made themselves accountable to the team. It is a good practice for yourself. Make yourself accountable to either a friend, family, or even a coach. We all have bad days, we all have those moments when we want to quit. You need that accountability. That is why getting a life coach, or mentor in your life is so beneficial.

Usually, when there is lasting change, most people can remember a time when they made a commitment. A commitment to themselves, friends, family or God. That moment when they said enough was enough, when they said: I have to change, or I have to quit drinking, I have to lose weight, I have to quit smoking, I have to start being there for my family, I have to give my life to God. Whatever it is, whatever you need to do, start with committing. Write it down, then tell someone about it. Then live up to your commitments. The most successful people I know do what they say they were going to do when they say they are going to do it. Improving is a process, and the first step of that process is to commit!

Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established – Proverbs 16:3