Tag Archive for: commitment

All In

Ａｌｌ Ｉｎ
This weekend marks a significant date in our calendar.
We arrived in the Netherlands 18 months ago, and it means we are now halfway through our missionary service.
Half-way, already…!
Reflecting this morning, I thought about the term half-way.
Half-way: “at or to a point midway between two others.”
It suggests to my mind its time to take a break.
However – it’s a term that sits a little uncomfortably with me.
We’re not quite ready for a break as yet.
We’re not lukewarm about our assignment.
We’re not partially committed about our time here.
We’re not complacent about the things we do.
We don’t hold back.
Neither Monic, nor I do things by half.
Rather – we’re 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐢𝐧.
Recently, we enjoyed listening to a podcast entitled “What does it mean to you to be all in the gospel of Jesus Christ?”
One of my immediate thoughts was about my father.
Today was his birthday.
Had he been still alive, he’d have been 95.
He so longed to reach 100.
Dad was a great example of being “all in” to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
His life of selfless service was a powerful personal testimony of that fact.
Dad died loving the gospel and tried to live it to the very end of his days on earth.
“Giant Jacky” as he was affectionately known, may have been small in physical in stature, but huge in spiritual strength.
Like my dad was and as my mum still is – we are all in.
Who is a great example of being “all-in?”
What does it mean to be “all-in?”

Choose to Play

“𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐈 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲!
“𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐡…𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐢𝐧!? – 𝐍𝐨 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐦𝐞!”
Why me? Perhaps the better question is why not me?
All too frequently as a teenager – that’s where I found myself in the High School Basketball team. I just wanted to play in the game.
I wanted a jersey, I didn’t want to sit on the sidelines – I simply wanted to play!
In my youthfulness and eagerness to play, long hours of practice and effort eventually paid off, and I became a regular starter – playing constantly.
I learned too, that sometimes when you are not playing well, the coach can take you out of the game.
Similarly in life, I want to be where the action is.
Sitting on the sidelines is just not for me.
At home, at work, in the community I need to be involved, I need to play, to make a difference.
As Oliver Wendell Holmes said “It is required of a man that he share the action and the passion of his time at the peril of being judged not to have lived.”
Whatever it is that is most important in your life…
– choose to be engaged
– choose to participate
– choose to practice and expend the effort
– choose to get involved
– choose to make a difference
Decide now to get up off the bench, move from the sidelines and into the field of action – 𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚!
What will you choose to do today?

Do you follow up?

Do you follow up?

No matter how successful a coaching session seems to have gone, unless you follow up, opportunities for growth can be squandered and lost.

My experience – the task of following up never ends!

If I am coaching someone and through the session they agree to a specific action, I know the value of following through. Without following up, it feels like buying a ticket for the cinema and then deciding not to go! Without the completed follow up action, the commitment to change is frequently lost.

And have you noticed, there is always a follow up question too?!

Commitment to action always improves when you follow up!

Commitment

Are you committed to succeed? Are you all in?

As I think of commitment, I recall a story as a young salesman in 1989. I had a huge territory – Scotland, down to Leeds & Manchester, plus every 6 weeks, I headed over to Ireland. Leaving Dunfermline early morning at the start of the week, I drove to Stranraer and caught the ferry to Larne. Then I drove all the way to Cork, always arriving late on Monday evening, to work my way home that week. It was always a long day and a long week – yet, I was committed to succeed. It wasn’t long before sales in Ireland literally took off.

We cannot accomplish anything, without commitment. “Work will win when wishy washy wishing won’t” – Thomas S. Monson.

Commitment as a word cannot stand alone. We must always ask, “Committed to what?” Dale Carnegie once said, “If you are not in the process of becoming the person you want to be, you are automatically engaged in becoming the person you don’t want to be.” Our journey through life is dotted with a series of commitments, interwoven with discipline – that can bring success – if we will consistently do what we have agreed to do. It isn’t easy, it’s never easy, yet a commitment to excellence will ensure that you obtain the success you seek.

I’m all in. Are you?

Commitment

So, what a week that was. Seven days, eight places, people, presentations and I’m done with driving…at least for a while!

Preston, Chorley, Warwick, Luton, Westminster, Tunbridge Wells, Crawley, Cranfield and a long drive home. A full on tour of England and motorways! I met up with lots of old friends and former colleagues. In addition I made many new friends and had the chance to interact with people of all different ages in a variety of settings, workshops, meetings and presentations. It was brilliant! In fact I loved it! However, whilst in my 20’s, I was passionate about driving, now in my 50’s, well…enough said! But, for a host of different reasons, I was committed to make the journey.

Over the past few months, I’d made several commitments, to various people and organisations. Commitment as a word, cannot stand alone. We must always ask, “Committed to what?” I recognise too that we cannot become something without commitment.

The journey of success is long and is dotted with a series of commitments to worthy goals in life. A person does not become committed to worthwhile goals just by making a declaration or decision. It is through daily progression toward established purposes.

The time to commit and recommit is now.

What are you committed to?

Commitment

Are you committed to succeed?

As a young salesman in 1989, I had to cover a huge territory – Scotland, down to Leeds & Manchester, plus every 6 weeks, I headed over to Ireland.  Leaving Dunfermline early morning at the start of the week, I drove to Stranraer and caught the ferry to Larne.  Then I drove all the way to Cork, always arriving late on Monday evening, to work my way home that week.  It was always a long day and a long week – yet, I was committed to succeed. It wasn’t long before sales in Ireland literally took off.

We cannot accomplish anything, without commitment. “Work will win when wishy washy wishing won’t” – Thomas S. Monson.

Commitment as a word cannot stand alone. We must always ask, “Committed to what?”  Dale Carnegie once said, “If you are not in the process of becoming the person you want to be, you are automatically engaged in becoming the person you don’t want to be.”  Our journey through life is dotted with a series of commitments, interwoven with discipline – that can bring success – if we will consistently do what we have agreed to do.  A commitment to excellence will ensure that you obtain the success you seek.

What are you committed to?

#leadership