Episode #131 Honor Your Commitments

Seven Problems

• Society asks a lot of us, and it sometimes asks for more than we can possibly manage.
• We often fail to continue honoring our commitments when we have failed to honor them just once.
• Many of the commitments we dishonor are those that we make to ourselves.
• We typically quit our commitments unintentionally rather than intentionally.
• We are often afraid of commitment because we believe the lie that every commitment must last forever.
• Longevity can never happen overnight.
• Our capacity shrinks to the size of our commitment to choices.

Nine Principles

• The purpose of commitments is not perfection but consistency.
• Commitments always require recommitment.
• We are more likely to honor our commitments when they represent daily decisions rather than long term goals.
• We have the power to do hard things and make healthy choices even when we don’t feel like it.
• The first step to honoring our commitments is often minimizing our commitments.
• We can honor our commitments today even though they will not last forever.
• The honest assessment that we are overcommitted helps others empathize and understand when we choose to end a commitment.
• As we become the best version of ourselves, the number of opportunities (and potential commitments) available to us will only increase.
• Commitments are the pathway to character, competence, and confidence.

Three Practices

• Identify one important commitment you’ve failed to keep, and rededicate yourself to it today.
• Identify one commitment that is no longer a priority, and honorably bow out.
• Identify one incredibly difficult choice that would significantly improve your life, and commit to living out Ten Days of Tenacity.