Commitments

Nothing shapes your life more than the commitments you choose to make. Your commitments can develop you or they can destroy you, but either way they define you ... We become what we are committed to.  Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life

I can't say it any better than that.  It's good to examine our commitments from time to time.  One way is simply to ask yourself, "To what am I committed?"  Most of us will respond in terms of ideal answers.  Ideals are important; they are the targets for which we aim.  However, three other sources more accurately define our commitments.

1. Calendars highlight our commitments: If you look back at your schedule for the last 30 days, where did you spend your time?  What were the key projects?  Who appeared most often in your appointments?  Where we spend the most time is a portrait of our commitments.  Prospecting may be an important stated commitment, but did my calendar reflect that I engaged significant effort there?

2. Expense records uncover our commitments:  Money also tells us what's important.  How we spend, invest, and give identifies true priorities.  If someone saw your personal spending by category what would that lead them to believe about you?  If you want your practice of real estate to grow, that requires re-investment.  What portion, if any, of your commission earnings goes back into marketing and education?  A small portion will usually result in small results.

3. Close relationships reveal our commitments: Here's a tough one: What do your colleagues identify as your commitments?  It makes us vulnerable, but let's dare to ask them.  Each of us can benefit from the feedback.  Our perception may differ from the reality of their experience with us. 

One last point, commitments are like automobile alignments.  The daily mileage of work can get get commitments out of balance.  High speeds reveal when they are adrift.  But they can also be reset.  Let's take some time this week to make sure we are traveling in the commitment lanes that we define as important through our time, money, and co-workers.