Commitment
We live in a world where commitment is often hidden by day to day life. Many believe that our goals are a commitment to ourselves. People make goals for themselves in order to strive for greatness, but a man once told me that goals not written down are only dreams. We can dream all we like but without commitment to do the things we set for ourselves nothing can be achieved. When we see a future that will enhance our lives we strive to make that future happen, but with the many obstacles in our lives our vision is clouded which makes us try less than we should for the things that are meant for us.A great business leader once said:
"...the basic philosophy, spirit, and drive of an organization have far more to do with its relative achievements than do technological or economic resources, organizational structure, innovation, and timing. All these things weigh heavily in success. But they are, I think, transcended by how strongly the people in the organization believe in its basic precepts and how faithfully they carry them out." (from Thomas J. Watson, Jr., A Business and its Beliefs - The ideas that helped build IBM).
As true as this is for the success of a corporation, it is even more so for the individual. The most important single factor in individual success is COMMITMENT. Commitment ignites action. To commit is to pledge yourself to a certain purpose or line of conduct. It also means practicing your beliefs consistently. There are, therefore, two fundamental conditions for commitment. The first is having a sound set of beliefs. There is an old saying that goes, "Stand for something or you'll fall for anything." The second is faithful adherence to those beliefs with your behavior. Possibly the best description of commitment is "persistence with a purpose".
Many successful business people are hailed as visionary leaders. On careful inspection they are found to be individuals who hold firmly to a simple set of commitments, usually...