Gold Nugget Coaching

Which came first: the chicken or the egg? Which comes first when there’s something important to do like finding a new job: taking action or making a commitment to find a new job?

With chicken and eggs there’s no right answer. With taking action and making a commitment, my observation is that, rather than a right answer, there’s an effective answer. What do you think the answer is?

If you said making a commitment, you’re correct. And here’s why . . .

All too often I observe people getting caught up in non-stop action—doing things has become a way of life for many people. Maybe you’re one of them—you just have to be doing something all of the time.

It’s almost like you’re a shark. If a shark stops moving, it dies. For you shark people, constant action feels like living; and, even though it’s not factually true, it feels like if you stop moving, then something horrible will happen.

Now I know life is hectic and we live in a time when there are, in fact, a lot of things that need to be done. A lot of things that need to be taken care of. But the fact is, unless you take a stand somewhere, it’s just going to get worse—you’ll have more things to do, and then even more things.

It may feel like living, but is it really? Ask yourself this question: Is this constant motion that I’m engaged in the kind of life I always yearned for? My guess is that for many, if not most, of you the answer will be a resounding “No.”

So how do you change this “shark syndrome”? Well, I’m glad you asked.

You start by taking a stand—by making a commitment to those things that are most important to you. You can choose several things from any or all domains in your life, including your job, your relationships, your health, your financial well being, etc.

The important point here is that you identify them specifically (rather than having no focus) and that you make a commitment to doing what needs to be done for each of them.

There’s nothing mysterious about commitment. A commitment is a pledge or a promise to fulfill a particular set of “Conditions of Satisfaction” that are either your own or someone else’s conditions that you choose to accept.

With a commitment in place, you’re then predisposed to take the actions to fulfill that commitment. Now your actions have new meaning and purpose. Said simply, you know where you’re headed and why it’s important.

You can start right now to make the shift to living with commitment by asking yourself these questions:

• In the area or domain of family, what am I committed to?

• In the domain of my career, what am I committed to?

• In the domain of community, what am I committed to?

Then all you have to do is align your actions with your commitment to increase your personal effectiveness and well being.

Can it really be this easy? Well, I’ll bet it’s easier than being a shark in constant motion, and getting nowhere. It’s certainly a lot more satisfying!

© 2006 Gold Nugget Coaching