Hello friends! After getting lost down the rabbit hole of motivational videos, I came across this one: John Assaraf – Do Whatever It Takes. That part…where he was asked, “Are you Interested or Committed?
Wait, WWHHAATTTTT????? Don’t you have to be interested to be committed? Isn’t being committed proof you are interested?
What Does Interested or Committed Mean To You
We can be very interested in something. Anything really. A goal, a person or relationship, a job, a dream…you get the idea. But when we are only interested, we will do anything for that, UP UNTIL it isn’t convenient or easy. Whoa. Did you just catch your breath there?? Yeah…me too.
When committed, we will do WHATEVER IT TAKES, regardless of how windy the road. So… after this “schooling” on my ambitions, I realized I’m interested in alot of things, and almost hesitant to admit what I’m committed to. (Cough, fear of failure…cough, cough) Anyone else? Anyone? Bueller??
How Do You Move Forward?
I am in NO position to give advice, as this is a brand new, fresh perspective for me. I’m writing this post in real time, so let’s take this walk together shall we?
Make a List
It’s difficult to keep it all in your head, especially if you are a mom, doing all the things for the family. So, I love a good notebook or your Notes section on the iPhone is perfect too. Write down all the things that you may be currently struggling with that fill up your precious time.
Now….are you interested in those things? Do you like them when they are effortless(ish) and give you the minimum expected return on investment (which is usually your time?) Duh…of course, right?! When it starts to take more effort and additional time, how does that make you feel? For me…it looks like this pic below. Like I don’t want to, I’d rather clean toilets than work on it; but I feel like I HAVE to. You need to find something you WANT to do to make it successful!!
Or, are you committed to them? They get you jumping out of bed in the morning, you are motivated even when you don’t make progress, when you experience ups and downs you always want to go back up? Does overcoming the obstacles get you excited and bring you a sense of accomplishment and joy? Kind of like the pic below…
Seems Like You Can’t Be Both For Long
This morning, I realized I may WANT to feel committed to certain things, since I have in the past; but, newsflash, people change!! We evolve and grow into new things, and out of old things. This includes interests in work and hobbies.
- You can’t just stay interested in a business venture for it to be successful, you have to be committed to the grind of creating that success.
- A husband or wife can’t just stay interested in their spouse when things are good, you have to be committed to them when things are really tough and painful.
- Parents can’t be interested in raising grateful, considerate, polite, faithful, compassionate, hardworking and confident kids, you have GOT to be committed to it (all the way from babies to the tender age of 18 when they are most likely to leave the nest.)
- You can’t just be interested in getting fit, you have to be committed to carving out time to eat right, work out, get proper sleep and drink ALL THE WATER. Wanting it and doing it are two very different thing…ask me how I know….grrr.
- Believers (or curious Non-Believers) can’t just stay interested in building up a relationship with Christ, you have to be committed to building it by reading His Word, praying to Him and serving others.
In the end, when we are interested in something, we think of it often and dip our toe in to see how we like it. If we say yes, then we are likely to become committed. Now we are ALWAYS thinking of it and diving in head first. If we say no, we open ourselves up to a new opportunity to dip our toe in!
Be Prepared to Get Noticed
You may find that commitment alienates you. Anytime a person chooses to focus on their vision, goal, dream, relationship or self development, and say no to other things, those close to us notice. Gently at first, maybe even jokingly; but it can eventually grow into negativity. Believe me. I know.
When you are planning to pursue a new job/business/income earning activity, you will need someone to share that vision with. This way they can really help you, support you, stick with you, lift you up when you are low, and celebrate the accomplishments. Not to mention help you set healthy boundaries, so you don’t turn into a zombie attached to your computer and lose any sense of balance in your life! Tell the ones you love, so they can watch you grow and hold you accountable to your dreams. Be open to be that person for them, and their dreams, as well.
Settle In To It
We are all given one precious life on earth. The beauty is WE, not: friends, society, social media, trends, get to decide how we live it. Nope. WE get to; but sometimes, it seems hard and may even feel like an act of bravery to even realize what it is we ARE committed to! Be inspired by others; but blaze your own trail. I think sometimes we forget that as we go through our Instagram feed of people who are “killing it” and making our own success seem impossibly far away. Comparison is the thief of joy my friends….we need to stay in our own lanes. Your beginning will NOT look like their middle.
So for now, my Method is I’m going to sit in the fact that I now KNOW there is a difference and spend some time being really honest with myself on where my commitment lies, so I can serve those areas with my BEST SELF. Sounds pretty freeing to me….how about you?
xoxo Taryn
This was great Taryn!