H.J. Heinz’s creditors forced him into bankruptcy. Walt Disney suffered bankruptcy along with a nervous breakdown. Milton Hershey went bankrupt before he dominated the chocolate industry. What do all these great legends of business have in common? Each remained committed to his cause, his dream, his goals.

Commitment means knowing what you are committed to. It is having the perseverance to transform a promise into a reality.NFL Hall of Fame and legendary coach Vince Lombardi once said, “There is only one way to succeed in anything and that is to give everything. I do and I demand that my players do. Any man’s finest hour is when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle...victorious.”Leaders, dreamers, and others who desire achievement must realize that the first step in the process is to make an indisputable commitment to direct their lives and given talents toward successfully reaching their goals. It is like the story of the chicken and the pig. Each was talking about commitment. The chicken proclaimed proudly how she was committed to giving eggs every morning so people could enjoy breakfast. The pig quickly chimed in and said, “Giving eggs isn’t commitment, it’s participation. Giving ham is total commitment!”

Committing to commitment is not an easy undertaking. It demands overcoming that inner voice, which constantly tells you that your desires are not achievable. It demands you invest in yourself without hesitancy so that you can be better positioned to understand that daydreaming your way through life is not acceptable. You see, the way to succeed is to be committed to giving your best all the time. 

It is important to remember that action, not promises, provides results. Being committed to that action enables the right results to come more often. You can’t keep a committed person from success. They turn stumbling blocks into stepping stones and use them to climb higher. Take away a committed person’s wealth and each will find motivation from their situation and move onward. They have a well-devised plan that spells out how goals will be accomplished and what demands are required. Staying true to the course, the committed person makes adjustments when required; and, when obstacles do arise, they seek solutions and do not praise problems.  

As former owner and coach of the Oakland Raiders, Tom Flores, once proclaimed, “A total commitment is paramount to reaching the ultimate in performance.” 

How committed are you?  

• When faced with an obstacle, will you find a way through? 
• Will you build a bridge over it?  
• Or, will you stay and turn the obstacle into a crowning achievement?  
• What would others who know you say about your level of commitment?  
• Are you truly willing to give your goals, your dreams, and your challenges everything you have?  

It has been said that “He who turns and runs away, lives to fight another day. But he who stays and doesn’t give in will soar to the top in the very end.”   

Remember, you and only you have the power to commit to commitment.