The Importance of Personal Commitment (page 2)

Making Personal Commitments

Upon considering some of the benefits of keeping personal commitments, it may be tempting to jump right in to the process and make multiple. While there is nothing wrong with this, there are a few recommendations to keep in mind before launching full-speed into the process.

First, understand your current capabilities. One of the most important details when it comes to making personal commitments is ensuring they are realistic, and that you are not expecting too much of yourself. This of course does not mean to avoid ambitious goals or commitments, but be patient with yourself, starting off perhaps with smaller commitments and working towards much larger, long-term ones. In fact, layering goals or commitments is a common and efficient technique. If you wish to accomplish something large (e.g., graduate from college), make smaller commitments that will help you achieve it along the way (e.g., earn a strong high school GPA, apply for several colleges in a particular month, find an internship, etc.).

Second, emphasize daily actions as opposed to a single deadline. One of the biggest reasons personal commitments are abandoned is because individuals find they cannot achieve what they desired as quickly as they initially wanted. However, when you set a loose deadline, and focus more heavily on the daily steps you are taking towards your goal(s), you will both be more motivated to continue, but also assess your progress in a different light. It is not all about the deadline.

Third, don’t be afraid to evaluate your personal commitments. The wonderful thing about personal commitments is that they are uniquely tailored to each respective person, and can be altered whenever needed. If you find a commitment you have set no longer completely aligns with your overarching life ambitions, it is okay to revise it. Regardless of where you stand on the journey of achieving a personal commitment, know that you are in full control to change whatever you feel needs changing

It is a good idea to always be working on some type of personal commitment, whether it be work-related, educational, or even recreational. Having personal commitments offers something to always be working towards, and is a strong contributor to healthy individual development. Many youth and young adult programs can help with the process of making and following through on personal commitments, like WinGate Wilderness Therapy. If you or a loved one would like to learn about and improve on keeping your personal commitments, contact WinGate today!