Commit to Win

How to Harness the Four Elements of Commitment to Reach Your Goals

Hudson Street Press, 2014

15 min read

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Don’t rely solely on willpower: Instead, make a commitment “action plan.”

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Do you want to lose weight, give up smoking, begin an exercise program or learn a new language? Whatever your objective, don’t rely on sheer willpower alone. It won’t be enough. Instead, craft an intelligent commitment “action plan.” Communication expert Heidi Reeder draws on 15 years of experience teaching college students about commitment to provide a carefully conceived model for personal change. She dissects the meaning of commitment, how it works, the myths that undermine it and the pitfalls it harbors. Reeder may be a little too committed to formulas and categories, but getAbstract finds that her commonsense advice offers a lot of support to those who want to give up something bad or start something good.

Summary

Goals Without Commitment

Everyone has goals, but they mean nothing without commitment. To accomplish a goal, you must commit. Motivation only gets you started. Real dedication empowers your journey. Many people don’t understand what resolution is or how it works. They underestimate how hard attaining a personal goal can be. When they falter, they get discouraged easily because they don’t understand that anyone’s level of commitment may vary considerably.

First, understand that you may face “commitment conflict,” the confusion that arises when you want to stay committed but you also want to give up the whole commitment struggle. Commitment is not a simple exercise in willpower. Having a strong will can make a big difference in staying dedicated, but commitment requires more than willpower. Commitment is an “instinctual” process that takes place over time, not a single, stand-alone act of self-discipline.

“The Seven Commitment Myths”

To reach your goals, ignore seven damaging fallacies:

“You either have it or you don’t” – Not true; commitment is a matter of degree, more like a dimmer than an on-off switch. Some days, your backbone...

About the Author

Boise State University associate professor Heidi Reeder teaches communication and commitment courses, as well as corporate workshops.

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K. Y. 8 years ago

clear and precise. good work
M. O. 9 years ago

Overall good information. Fairly common sense, but good to review and to remind yourself.

Heidi Reeder