Wants as compared to Commitments

How many times have you realized that you've just had an incredible insight that could make all the difference in the world for your life? Insights happen to us every single day, time and time again, and more often than not, we choose not to act on our insights for some reason or another. Many of these insights could actually alter our lives in ways that will support us in what we have been saying we want.


There is little surprise that we don't often act on insights no matter how incredible we think they are, especially when they are driven by what we "want." You see, when there is a commitment, there is something to pull you forward into your future from the present. Have you ever considered moving your wants into commitments?

Going after what we want is a challenge that we face every day. It might show up in the form of saying we want to lose weight or exercise more but when the alarm goes off in the morning, we opt to turn it off and stay in bed because we decide then that we want to be comfortable. Wants are fleeting and pull us around in the moment.

Being committed is another matter. When one is committed, when you have set something up that's bigger than your wants, your commitment will get you up in the morning.


What are you committed to in your life?

If you are committed to your "wants," then get used to it; your great insights will be just that and hopefully, one or two may lead to you being pleased with your life. There is no right or wrong in whether you move into action after having that insight; there is just the opportunity to discover something about yourself that you would not otherwise have had. What would your life be like if you did exercise regularly, or lost weight, or wrote that book, or even took that class on marketing or learning a new language or... or... or... ? When you are at the end of your life, might you look back and have a sense of accomplishment that you might not have had otherwise?

Would you have lived your life with boldness as per Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, who said it this way,

"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness concerning all acts of initiative and creation.

There is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans; that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too, all sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred.

A whole stream of events issues from the decision raising in one's favor all manner of unforseen events, meetings and material assistance which no one could have dreamed would have come their way.


Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now!"

Boldness! Why not? What are you waiting for? Your life will turn out the way you choose it, right now... and now... and now...

What Goethe forgot to remind us about is that it is always much easier to reach your commitments with someone else in your court. It's not impossible to do on your own, and when you are supported by a committed listener, someone who will listen to you as if your life depends on your word, you will be driven forward by someone who stands with you for your accountability.

Observation/Exercise
Set aside some time for you to spend 'mind-mapping' on your life, maybe 30-60 minutes in one of your favorite and accessible locations. Make sure you have a piece of paper and a pen.

Determine what's next for you in your life. Start with something from a recent insight that you have had. What attracted you to that insight? What did it mean to you? What possibilities did you see for yourself that you hadn't seen before? What emotions did it call forth for you?

Stop for a moment, close your eyes and think about the 'yumminess' that your insight brought up.

Write it down. What do you see that would fit in to that perfect world for you; perhaps something grounded in your "wants" but more powerful would be something that will have you look back in your future and examine your life with pride and satisfaction?

In other words, what calls for you to commit to next? What will you "do or dream?" What will you begin? Will you live your life with boldness? Now is the time to discover the "genius, power and magic" of it.

Finally, find your committed listener to be there for you, someone who will listen from what is possible for you in living your life into your commitment.