I once saw a cartoon meme that really caught my attention. A Father was chatting to his son. He was explaining the difference between being interested in success at school versus being committed to success at school.
“Take your breakfast as an example, my boy,” the Father said. “On your plate you’ve got 2 eggs and some bacon. The Chicken had an interest in your breakfast, but the Pig, ….well, the pig was committed.”
When it comes to your success, whether it be in business, your diet, your fitness regime or your relationships, are you the Chicken or are you the Pig?
Are you interested in your success, or are you committed?
If you’re merely interested in something, you will do what’s convenient. You’ll do what is easy, and comfortable and you will fool yourself into believing that this is going to be enough. You will do the bare minimum in terms of learning new skills, you will do just enough to convince yourself you’ve had a busy day, and you will constantly be watching others achieve the results that you want.
Are you merely INTERESTED in your success?
The pig is committed. When you’re committed to something, you will do whatever it takes to achieve the results that you want. You won’t make excuses, or find reasons to avoid the difficult actions required of you in your pursuit of excellence. You are an aggressive learner, constantly challenging yourself to be better, and to improve your knowledge and skills.
Are you truly COMMITTED to your success?
It’s not enough for you to do your best. It’s time to do whatever it takes. There is a specific set of disciplines required of you in your particular field, that if applied diligently and consistently over time, will lead to your success. If you are not achieving the success you desire, then you are more than likely avoiding the activities required of you.
Everything that you experience in your life is the result of a choice you made. You’re never going to fulfill your potential if you remain interested.
Here are 3 tips to help you shift into a space of commitment:
TIP 1: Say it out loud. If you’re interested in success, and need to shift into the commitment space, the first thing you need to do is set a brave goal, and then tell somebody about your goal.
If you keep it to yourself, it’s too easy to hide when times get tough. Be brave. Jump in with both feet. Let the world know what you want, and then boldly go and get it.
TIP 2 : Pay for Something.
Put some skin in the game. Sign up for a training course, hire a coach, invest in something that is going to help you get closer to your goal. Once you pay for something, you are committed. If anything, you will do whatever it takes to ensure that you get a good return on the investment you make in yourself.
In 2013 my life changed forever when I attended a free property seminar in Durban. At the end of the 2 days, the presenter started selling aggressively on coaching. Most people in the audience got offended at the selling tactics, and the guy next to me got up and walked out. Something resonated with me. It was very expensive. More expensive than any coaching I had ever taken before.
However in that moment I made a decision to jump in. Something resonated, and I decided that if I was going to pay this amount of money for coaching, then I would absolutely have to follow every bit of advice and throw myself into massive action.
How many times have you gone to a training course and implemented nothing that you learned? How many times have you started a diet and changed the diet plan because you don’t like oats, or brocolli?
Committing means jumping in and doing what it takes. When you’re merely interested you do what you feel like.
My commitment in 2013 took my life on a completely different path. I went from bored business owner, to Business Owner, International Speaker, and coach.
TIP 3: Stick at it for at least a month.
Commit to your new routine of disciplined activities for a minimum of a month. 4 weeks. Don’t expect results during this time either, rather focus on building the new habits and consistencies in your daily activities.
The results will come once you’ve formed the new habits and new way of thinking, I guarantee you.
Be committed this week. Be like the Pig. Start today.