“Commitment gives us new power. No matter what comes to us – sickness, poverty, or disaster – we never turn our eye from the goal.” Ed McElroy

We here and say the word commitment all the time; however, what is it? How do we personally define commitment? To each person it means something different:

From the 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader John Maxwell writes:

• To the boxer, it’s getting off the mat one more time than you’ve been knocked down.
• To the marathoner, it’s another ten miles when your strength is gone.
• To the soldier, it’s going over the hill, not knowing what’s waiting on the other side.
• To the missionary, it’s saying good-bye to your own comfort to make life better for others.
• To the leader, it’s all that and more because everyone you lead is depending on you.

If you want to be an effective leader, you have to be committed. Consider a few observations related to commitment:

1. Commitment starts in the HEART – “Heart is what separates good from Great.” Michael Jordan
2. Commitment is tested by ACTION – “Nothing is easier than saying word, nothing is easier than living them day after day.” Arthur Gordon
3. Commitment opens the door to ACHIEVEMENT – “If you want to get anywhere worthwhile you must be committed.” David McNally

To improve your commitment, do the following:

• Measure it. – Evalute and track it.
• Know what’s worth dying for. – Know it and live it.
• Use the Edison Method. – Make it public by announcing your plans.

Daily take-away…

Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard!

*This post and podcast are based on content from John Maxwell’s 21 Indispensable Qualities of a leader (Chapter 3). To learn how to become a better leader, get the book click here