Commitment: The Magic Ingredient To Anything You Want

I began an aggressive life transformation in March of 2016.  Within a very short period of time I had lost 100 pounds, rebuilt my marriage and family, started a business and began waking up excited about the life I was building. 

It was a super fun time in my life and I look back at those months and years fondly. 

Since then there have been times when things didn't unfold the way I wanted them to, I got mixed results, or life was more of a rollercoaster than a rocketship. 

Looking back and reflecting it's easy to spot the difference between the two states: my level of commitment to new outcomes and circumstances. 

In this article I'm going to discuss commitment, and why it's the magic ingredient to getting anything you want. 

What Is Commitment?

First let's discuss commitment. 

The Merriam Webster definition of commitment is: an agreement or pledge to do something in the future.

Did you notice how that definition does not leave wiggle room for ongoing negotiations with yourself about the possibility of likelihood of achieving the action or the outcome?

When I was most aggressive in my transformation I didn't leave room for not having what I wanted. I wanted to be leaner, I wanted my family life to be harmonious, and I wanted my business to be successful.

Since I was committed to the outcomes I desired, for me that meant making each decision and choice based on the future I was creating instead of who I had been up to that point. Commitment meant not leaving room to negotiate with myself over the foods I was eating, my exercise plan, how I engaged my family, or the actions I took to create the business that I saw in my mind's eye. 

This level of commitment requires physical, mental, emotional and spiritual certainty that the outcome is already a done deal - and that actions from that point forward aren't creating new outcomes, but revealing something that is already certain. 

This level of commitment to the future frightens people because we need to leave our former commitments, preferences and even identities behind in lieu of new ones. 

This level of commitment might be called obsessive to others who aren't as committed to anything in their life except continuing to be the same person, do the same things, or have the same things they've always had. 

Commitment creates results. That's why it's so scary and frowned upon by most people. You get to decide for yourself what you say yes or no to. You get to decide your level of commitment. When you're committed, everyone else gets to decide whether they want to be part of your new future instead of trying to get you to compromise. Your choice is already made.

Commitment Creates Luck

One of my favorite spiritual teachers and philosophers, Richard Rudd, said "Commitment creates luck." What he's really saying is that life looks favorably upon people who go all-in on anything, unwavering, and without fearing that they can't or won't have it. 

I love this concept and see how it's been real and true in my life. 

It seems that when human beings go all-in and commit, life conspires to benefit the individual. New opportunities, people, and resources appear almost magically to support the person in their committed direction. This is why some people meet with life-altering successes and some with collapse. Holding back - even a little bit - can bring disappointments and even collapse. In another Richard Rudd zinger, he says "99% commitment equals 0% commitment."

When someone goes all-in on their committed path, it's almost like the doors of failure are closed by their commitment. Of course there will be challenges and obstacles along the way, but any possibility of failure is removed. 

Commitment is a seed for miracles and good fortune. 

It's Easy To Lie To Ourselves

The hardest thing for a human being to do is to be absolutely honest with ourselves. I see it in my own mind from time to time. I convince myself that I am committed to a path or an outcome, then I begin to negotiate in my mind about whether I still want it, if there's room to temporarily choose something which brings comfort or instant gratification, or if I can have the old and the new at the same time. 

The mind is not always your greatest ally when you're choosing something new, uncertain or unknown. In these cases the mind invites choices which take us off of the committed path, while it also convinces us that we're committed. You can't have both commitment and wavering at the same time. 

The definition of decide is to make a final choice or judgement about. A yes to anything which is not in alignment to a commitment is out of integrity. 

Be careful of a mind that wants the past you more than the future you. It will keep you in a constant state of dishonesty with yourself.

Putting It All Together

Here's the easiest way to express a commitment - you will have it and you'll eliminate and are willing to lose anything or anyone in the process of having the new outcome. It's ok to not choose or engender that level of commitment in your life. And more importantly, it is ok to go all-in if you really want what you say you want. 

Full commitment is the magic ingredient to get anything you want. Don't lie to yourself if you're not committed, but if you are committed to having what you want it's a matter of when, not if you'll have it. 

Choose whatever feels best for you at this point in your life. But if you don't go all-in, don't blame anyone else but yourself for your circumstances and outcomes.