Yes, commitment is what is called for. He never cared whether a Monday fell on a Friday nor did it matter to him if it was raining or dry. His motto was, “I am exactly where I need to be at this time. Just take it easy, it’ll all work out just fine.”
I met him many years ago. Let’s just call him Tom. We were in college and he was the roommate of a friend. But they were so different. My friend wanted something out of life while Tom thought that life should bring him all things.
My friend worked hard, studied late hours, focussed on his dreams and goals and graduated with honors. He was committed to his success. Tom, on the other hand, wanted all the good things in life, but didn’t have direction, a plan, a commitment to his future. No one seems to know what became of Tom. He definitely should have been committed.
It doesn’t matter what it is that you want or are striving for. To succeed, a high degree of commitment is necessary. We demand it from others but, most times, do not ask it from ourselves. How would I like it if after paying a webmaster my last penny to get my web site working, he looks at me and says, “You win some, you lose some. I’ll do my best and see what happens. I’ll get it done soon. And when it’s done, it will probably work, but who knows?”
I wouldn’t like to see my child lying on the operating table and hear the surgeon say, “Well, I’ll do my best. You win some, you lose some. What do you expect from me? I’m like everybody else– just trying to make a living. Maybe it’ll be successful, but who knows?”
This I know: I want my web master to be totally committed to our agreement. I want my surgeon to feel bad if he loses. I want him to be committed to the well-being of my son. I want my grocer, my airplane pilot, my friends, my everybody to be committed to what they are doing. And how about me? Shouldn’t I be committed to my own success and happiness? Well, sometimes that’s a different story, or at least, that’s what I’d like to think.
You see, it’s almost always easier for us to see the fault out there than to accept the responsibility for our own actions. Many times, it’s much easier to blame others than to commit ourselves to the path of success and happiness.
Yes, success is not easy. It calls for commitment, for focus, for hurling yourself toward the thing you love to do. Sometimes, success asks for blood, sweat and tears. But failure does not ask, it demands and takes our blood and sweat and tears. It doesn’t matter whether we are dealing with business problems, relationship or health issues. The same principles apply.
Commitment does not guarantee success. All it does is guarantee that you WILL succeed or you WILL fail. On the other hand, a lack of commitment loads the dice on the side of failure. Just the other day I heard from my old college friend. He is enjoying the fruits of success.
We talked about Tom and wondered what had become of him. We hoped that he had found something along the way that he could give his life and passion to. Didn’t matter what it was, a computer expert, a teacher, car mechanic, astronaut, farmer, whatever. We wished him well.
Whatever it is that you do, give your heart and mind to it. Express yourself through your work, your calling, your vocation. Doesn’t matter whether you’re seeking your fortune on the internet or pursuing success on the outernet– a sense of purpose and a touch of madness will bring the world to your doorstep. I have a bit of the former and lots of the latter. Thus far, with all its ups and downs, with all it’s joys and sorrows, with all its failures and successes, life’s been good. It’s what we make it.