‘Commit to Win — — How to Harness the Four Elements of Commitment to Reach Your Goals’ (II)

This week, we’ll continue with ‘Commit to Win — — How to Harness the Four Elements of Commitment to Reach Your Goals’ by Heidi Reeder

7. Being super committed to every opportunity or person is not the point. The idea is to select specific areas of our lives that deserve greater commitment, and to learn which areas to let go of.

8. Commitment has two faces. It can free us to focus on that we want and value, but it can also constrain us and lead us to do things that are no longer in our best interest.

9. When you work to become either more or less committed, or to encourage commitment in others, the payoff is not normally instantaneous. Be patient during the process, and keep making decisions that support where you want to be.

The Commitment Equation:
1. Treasures and troubles interact to create your level of satisfaction, a key part of commitment. Treasures are the aspects of an activity you find rewarding and fulfilling, while troubles are the parts you find challenging or costly. Satisfaction with your career, for example, is a product of how much you treasure the aspects of your work, minus the troubles that come with it.

2. The third variable in the equation is contributions. Contributions are the tangible and intangible resources you’ve invested in an activity or relationship that can’t be fully retrieved if you walk away. They may consist of sharing your time, money, energy, effort, creativity, care, and concern.

3. You are most committed when your satisfaction is high (i.e. treasures significantly exceed troubles), your contributions have been significant, and your choices seem limited.

(Treasures- Troubles) + Contributions- Choices= Level of Commitment

4. A common side bet is simply telling people, “I’m committed.” When you announce your intention in this way, the side bet is your reputation, trustworthiness, or self-image.

5. Commitment isn’t only about treasuring what you have; it’s also about avoiding perceived negative outcomes of deserting the commitment.