What Are You Committed To?

“Commitment means staying loyal to what you said you were going to do long after the mood you said it in has left you” – Anonymous

I’ve been thinking about what commitment means in the context of leadership and I came across the above phrase on the internet. I’m not sure who said this originally but it’s a great way of describing one aspect of commitment that is important.

A commitment is a non negotiable agreement you make with yourself. While others can hold you accountable by your actions, the true power of commitment lies in your mindset.

When you make a commitment, you make a binding agreement with yourself that gets you into a habit of getting super clear with your intentions, and doing what you say you’re going to do, no matter what. Both are habits that lead to greater success.

The Cambridge dictionary defines commitment as ‘a willingness to give your time and energy to something that you believe in’. It has to start first with a clear intention (your willingness) which means you’re making choices. When you’re committing to something, you’re also choosing to say ‘no’ to something else. The more important thing is committing to something that truly matters to you (ie something that you believe in). Not only does it make it easier for you to stick it out through thick and thin, this is what gives commitment its true power.

In the context of leadership, what we commit to takes on greater meaning. Not many leaders state clearly what they’re committed to. Truly great leaders recognise the power of commitment and they leverage it to make their mark. They do the work to figure out what being a great leader means to them and how they want to make a difference. Then they make a commitment to themselves, and to the world at large; and proceed to throw their heart and soul into doing whatever it takes to achieve their mission. This is how legacies are created.

Leadership is an honour that also comes with great responsibility. Depending on your seniority, as a leader, you have the ability to affect change across many different areas of the business. Regardless of your level, if you are responsible for a team, you have the potential to positively influence their lives and their livelihood.

You have the power to affect real, meaningful difference to your business and with the people you work with.

I encourage you to get clear about what you’re committed to…. then start building your legacy.