They say it’s easier to have 100% commitment than 80% or 90% to your goals. I’ve definitely found this to be true for myself. When we’re only committed 80%, we give ourselves wiggle room, and this is where we start to make decisions and negotiations with ourselves.
The Downside of Partial Commitment
Let’s take the example of deciding to give up sugar. If you’re 80% committed, you might think, “I’ll just have it on this occasion,” or “Maybe on that occasion,” or “Perhaps on this other occasion.” This leads to a slippery slope of constant negotiation.
When you leave room for negotiation, your brain starts to argue for why certain situations should be exceptions. This back-and-forth can be exhausting and often leads to breaking your commitment.
The Strength of 100% Commitment
However, if you commit 100% – deciding that there will be no exceptions – there’s no wiggle room. Your brain doesn’t have the opportunity to start negotiating because the decision is absolute.
Benefits of Full Commitment
1. Clarity: A 100% commitment leaves no room for doubt or debate. You know exactly what your boundaries are.
2. Mental Freedom: Without the constant back-and-forth of negotiating with yourself, you free up mental energy for other tasks and decisions.
3. Consistency: Full commitment leads to consistent behaviour, which is crucial for building and maintaining new habits.
4. Self-Trust: By sticking to your commitments, you build trust in yourself. You become someone who follows through on their promises, both to yourself and others.
Practical Steps to Achieve 100% Commitment
1. Make a Clear Decision: Define your commitment clearly.
2. Anticipate Challenges: Recognize situations where you might be tempted to break your commitment. Plan how you will handle these situations in advance.
3. Create Accountability: Share your commitment with someone who can support you and hold you accountable.
4. Track Your Progress: Keep a journal or use an app to track your daily adherence to your commitment. Seeing your progress can be motivating.
5. Reward Yourself: Set up small rewards for sticking to your commitment. Celebrate your successes to reinforce your new habit.
Examples
No Sugar
- Clear Decision: ‘I will not consume any sugar for the next 30 days.’
- Anticipate Challenges: Prepare for social gatherings by bringing your own snacks or eating beforehand.
- Create Accountability: Tell a friend or family member about your commitment and ask them to check in with you.
- Track Your Progress: Use a habit tracker app to log each day you stick to your commitment.
- Reward Yourself: Plan a non-food reward for reaching 30 days, like a new book or a fun activity.
It isn’t just about activities that you aren’t going to do, but commitments you are making to do something as well.
Regular Writing Practice
- Clear Decision: ‘I will write for 30 minutes every day, no exceptions.’
- Anticipate Challenges: Set a specific time each day dedicated to writing and eliminate distractions.
- Create Accountability: Join a writing group or find a writing buddy to share your progress with.
- Track Your Progress: Keep a writing journal or use an app to log your daily writing time and word count.
- Reward Yourself: Reward yourself with a new book or a writing-related tool after a month of consistent practice.
Weekly Blog Posts
- Clear Decision: ‘I will publish a blog post every Friday without fail.’
- Anticipate Challenges: Create a content plan and write drafts in advance to ensure you always have material ready.
- Create Accountability: Announce your publishing schedule to your audience.
- Track Your Progress: Use a blog management tool to schedule and track your posts.
- Reward Yourself: Reward yourself with a relaxing activity or a small gift after a few months of consistent blogging.
By committing 100%, you eliminate the mental fatigue of constant negotiation and set yourself up for success. Embrace the power of full commitment and watch how it transforms your ability to achieve your goals.
Action Acceleration
What is one aspect of your life you are going to give 100% commitment to? No wiggle room allowed! By eliminating the mental fatigue of negotiation, you set yourself up for a greater chance of success.
Hmm. That really makes sense, and it makes me realize that there are a lot of times that I don’t make a 100% commitment. I guess I really like wiggle room. But as you said, it leads to decision fatigue. I’m going to think on this and see if I can help myself be more committed.
I don’t think most of us like the 100% commitment as it means REALLY committing! Let me know how you get on.
Staying committed to my health goals has generally been tricky for me. I have to give myself grace as there are habits that need to be unlearned and healthy choices that need to be reinforced. To be 100% committed to myself, that is what I’d like to be.
I really love that – being 100% committed to yourself.
That is so true. I used to tell this to my son when he was younger. He made the hockey team and had his set practice schedule, which would of course collide with say, birthday parties, play dates and the like. I said “look, if everytime something fun comes along, you cancel practice, there will be a reason for exceptions every single week. That way you won’t make it to the lineup.”
Sugar is a great example. Even though you’re 100% committed though, you will always run into hidden sugars in breads, sauces and the like.
What a great life lesson you taught your son. Yes, there is sneaky sugar in everything.