Monday Morning Memo: On Commitment

Come, Come, Whoever You Are
Wanderer, worshipper, lover of leaving. It doesn't matter.
Ours is not a caravan of despair.
Come, even if you have broken your vow a thousand times
Come, yet again, come, come
- Rumi

This quote comes to me from my friend and fellow writer Melinda Maxwell-Smith (thank you, Melinda!). She sent this to me in response to last week's memo "On Emergence" and even though it can speak to many things, this quote reminded me of the nature of commitment."Come, even if you have broken your vow a thousand times. Come, yet again, come, come".

The nature of commitment is in staying the course, going the distance, falling and getting back up again, continuing onward.

The question is, what are we committed to?

The first thing I want to say about commitment is this: Sometimes we mistakenly commit ourselves to the outcome without committing ourselves first to the process.

For example, I know a person who talks about the book in his head. It's going to be a best-seller. It's going to be made into a movie and it's going to make him millions of dollars.

But he hasn't even written the first chapter.

He's committed to the outcome before being committed to the process. The process would be showing up at the page. That's the commitment.

Outcome is all about "getting there." It's ego based. It's about winning the prize. Gaining the acknowledgement. Accepting the praise. Process is all about "being here". It's humble, lowly, and scary.

But only by committing to the process can we arrive at the outcome.

Therein lays the commitment.

So, the question is, what are we committed to?

We want to make it a bigger question than it is, but sometimes the commitment is simply to show up. I had a teacher who used to tell me "Show up for your success". And that was her message to me. Over and over again. "Did I show up for my success today?" If I did, I fulfilled my commitment.

For most of us, when we are not advancing in some way or utilizing our full potential, we feel stagnant like we're moving backwards and it is very much against our nature. We made an agreement with ourselves that we are here, not to stand still, but to move forward. To express. To experience. To expand. To Om Freely and live our lives out loud!

When we are not, we feel like we are somehow failing the commitment we have to ourselves.

But what if we don't know what we are committed to? Or where to begin?

Begin with the agreement you made with yourself. Ask yourself "What is the one thing that would upset me, if at the end of my life, I did NOT attempt, do or complete?"

See if there is an immediate answer. If there is, this is what you must commit to. That is your commitment.

But here's the thing about commitment: We think it needs to be big broad sweeps across the canvas, the greatest art piece of the century. When it doesn't. Sometimes a great masterpiece starts just by doodling. And then it takes shape and asks for color and develops its own momentum and morphs into this amazing creation we didn't know we were capable of. And all that was required of us was the commitment, our willingness to find out what was there.

The thing is, when you make a commitment, you're letting the universe know that you're ready to play ball. You're saying, I'm committed to finding my purpose, discovering my passion, starting my business, making money, seeing this project through, etc.

But you're not going to hit the home run if you don't get up to the mound and swing. That's the commitment. Even if you miss. Even if you bunt. Even if you strike out. The commitment is to the process. Because sooner or later, you're going to get pitched the perfect ball. You're going to make it past first base. You're going to meet the team of players that are going to take you to your home run.

Simply because you got up to the mound and took hold of the bat.

The question is, are you willing? Are you willing to get in the game? Even if it's humbling? Even if there's a learning curve? Even if there is no guarantee of success? Even if you're afraid? Even if the steps seem insignificant? Even if you don't know what you're doing?

Are you still willing to show up? Are you still willing to move forward? Are you still willing to do it anyway?

Because that is the commitment. That's the price of admission. That's what it takes to garner the attention of the universe.

I have the quote by W.H. Murray (from The Scottish Himalayan Expedition) on my desk that speaks to this. I'm sure many of you have read it before:

Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation) there is one elementary truth, the
ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one
definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would not otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in oneʼs favour all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance which no man would have dreamed would come his way. I have learned a deep respect for one of Goetheʼs couplets: "Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, magic, and power in it. Begin it now."

In other words, when we are committed to the process, we are helped along the way and our desired outcome finds us. We don't need to go looking for it. It meets us along our path.

But we have to show up first. Our only job, in fact, is to continue to show up. Not to say "maybe" but to say "YES". To put one step in front of the other and to stay the course.

Even if we don't know if we're doing it right. Even if we don't know if we'll ever get there. Even if we don't know where it will lead us.

But we are willing to find out.