Motivation Says:
“I’ll do what success demands but only when I feel mentally and emotionally inclined to do so.”
Commitment Says:
“I’ll find a way, no matter what.”
“When you throw in the towel, I’ll wipe my sweat with it.”
“Your reason to give up is my reason to learn.”
“Your catastrophe is my challenge.”
“Your sometime behaviours are my all-the-time habits.”
“While you’re talking, I’m doing.”
“When your motivation disappears, my commitment remains.”
So Grasshoppers, what are you committed to?
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{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
In the past it’s been educational courses and voluntary work. I started a modular psychology degree course which I gave up when my mother died, and I’m thinking about resuming it in January. It’ll be very expensive and a lot of hard work, and I’m in two minds about taking it on again. But thinking about it, I’m not committed to very much at the moment, which I find quite worrying in a different way.
Hi Anonymous,
I can relate to what you are saying here about not being “committed to very much at the moment” and finding that worrying. Sometimes i think we need to allow ourselves to have a break from feeling as though we NEED to be committed to something to feel ok with ourselves. I know that i can feel really guilty for what i describe as “just cruising”. I am so hard on myself and always setting goals and feeling like i need to keep committing and achieving to a ridculous level. I do it to myself, nobody else judges me or has these expactations of me…..no its just me treating myself in this way.
Sometimes we can “just cruise” and enjoy each day as it comes. When something comes along that sparks your interest or gets you thinking in a new way….THEN you may just find that you have suddenly become committed again and enjoying the process….not pressuring yourself to HAVE to have something.
I am struggling with this at the moment. Trying to create healthy habits and routines so that when the motivation has gone, I am still set up to succeed. It is not easy, but I am getting there.
Love ya, Craig!
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I would really like to be motivated but mentally and emotionally I know that will never happen in a really productive sort of way. That feeling of going to do stuff and getting all excited about the end result but not actually doing anything to make it happen can be very draining and very disappointing. It is a bit like getting all dressed up with nowhere to go.
I am on the other hand very good at following through on commitment. This character flaw can be very irritating and at times I really really dont like it.
An example was last night when I was doing a few laps in the pool [1.5kms] decided that this morning I was going to have a nice early morning swim but make it a longer one. Last night it was a good idea. At 5am today when I had very little sleep it was not such a good idea.
The problem was I had made the commitment to me. Damn!
It had to be at 6am as I had a doctor’s appointment at 8am and a two hour weights session booked at THE gym to follow before i went to work for the day.
If it was only a motivational idea it would have so easy to tweek it a bit
and decide that my nearly 60 year old body did not need to do this stuff but because it was a commitment I had to follow through. Did I enjoy the 2km swim – no not really – until the last 10 laps. I do like swimming but at the moment I can only use one arm properly following a shoulder reconstruction so I have to use a kick board. The weight session was a bit of a drag as well but if I want my arm working well by the start of the sailing season it has to be done. Sitting on the beach watching the boats would be very disappointing.
Why do I bother – well when I was lying in intensive care a couple of years ago, the size of an adolescent sperm whale I made a commitment that I was going to lose weight- lots of it, get fit and do some cool stuff with my body and my life. The commitment stands.
Maybe it would have been easier to just get a bit motivated for a few weeks and crawl back to my comfort zone. Too late now – I made the commitment and now i am stuck with it for life.
Ahhh Craig you have perfect timing!!
I have just had alot of doubt of late, must be the universe checking me too, & have been reassessing what n where n when & why.
I can still do everything, I just have to re-apply myself better & more efficiently, & not let the neg’s & the neg’ people get to me.
Thank You Craig!! Anything & everything is possible!!
Im committed to my kids, my husband, paying taxes and…….checking in to read your post each day of course!
Bingo! Love your work Craig
I like this! Motivation vs Committment… Helps clarify my thinking about why I used to be such a good girl with my fitness and now I’m struggling….
Maybe motivation gets you dressed and then Committment is the vehicle that turns it all into a habit. I need to get back to that third place with an exercise habit!
I have done two ironman triathlons, two ultramarathons and the bondi to watsons bay swim and in all my training and all the darkest days along the journey i have had a myriad of people bring “motivation” to me. I now realise that commitment is what gets you across the line.
Craig, i dont think anyone has ever articulated the differences between the two.
Excellent stuff – this is going on my wall.
Ronan
Motivation vs Commitment. Spot on. In the mix also, I think, is inspiration. And thanks to Craig and his excellent site I’m I’ve discovered the commitment to turn my life around.
Thanks Craig.
Sort of Dave. First you get inspired which leads to motivation which in turn makes you commit to the task.
Right now you are inspired and motivated the next bit is just start doing the “it” part. If you are still doing it in a month or two you have shown commitment. At this point the inspiration and motivation will have lost their gloss somewhat but will be replaced with measurable improvements if you have stayed committed.
Great post, I love this —> ““I’ll do what success demands but only when I feel mentally and emotionally inclined to do so.” It’s so true and easy to fall prey to, I catch myself doing this sometimes. I watched a doco last week on Steve Hooker’s journey over the last few years on the lead up to the pole vault at this coming Olympics. So inspiring if anyone wants to check it out, I was glued to it. It really was a living breathing example of commitment rather than motivation, through injuries and setbacks and difficulties and everything. Another great post Craig such an important distinction between the two and a much needed reminder.
what does success really mean? I will look it up in dictionary.com maybe that will give me some insight
hey craig has anyone ever told you that you remind them of tom cruise when he was talking to matt lauer on the american today show about psychiatry and Brooke Shields post natal depression? I am just having fun… you should take it as a compliment Tom Cruise is a very talented actor and has many mansions on planet earth… x