Today is Thursday, August 13th, 2009.
Every day since my most recent blog post on (GULP!) May 15th, 2009, I’ve thought about writing a new post.
And every day, I’ve had a “good reason” why I didn’t. Mostly, I’ve been focused on other projects. Projects that have been a greater priority than writing on my blog. About that, I feel OK.
But I don’t feel great that I’ve allowed myself to get out of the habit of writing blog posts regularly.
Each day that I didn’t write added to the energy of not writing. Some days I would actually say to myself (inside my own mind, of course): “I’ll never get caught up.” As if getting caught up had any importance whatsoever. Which it doesn’t, of course. But that didn’t keep me from having the most inane thoughts, that I’d use for justifying why I hadn’t written on any given day, or wasn’t going to, instead of just writing my next post.
And it’s also been easy to remain distracted. I’d start the day thinking: “Today’s the day I’ll write on my blog again,” and then arrive at the end of the day having not done so, simply because I’d prioritized whatever I had done that day over writing on my blog. Yet after looking back on the day, I’d realize that I’d allowed myself to be distracted by other things that weren’t as important – in my mind – as writing on my blog. But that hadn’t stopped me from acting as if they WERE more important. And that’s what counts.
It’s really simple, of course.
What I think is most valuable, I prioritize. What’s at the top of my list benefits by my commitment. What’s I value less, falls further down the list. And while I might have an “intention” to do what’s further down my list, there’s a WIDE gap between “intention” and “commitment.”
Want to know what your priorities are? Want to know what you’re truly committed to?
It’s easy. Just look at your actions. Without judgment. Just be “Joe Friday” from Dragnet. “Just the facts, Ma’am.” What are you DOING, regularly? THAT’S what you’re committed to.
If you allow yourself, as I do, to be distracted, then what you think you might be committed to is no more than an intention. True commitment trumps distractions. True commitment allows you to “just say no” to whatever is not in alignment with your commitment.
OK, so now I get to find out. Does my desire to write on my blog, regularly, move up on my priority list? Does it change from “intention” to “commitment?”
Now I get to use my favorite response, when someone – even myself – attempts to predict the future:
“We’ll see!”
One thing’s for sure, however. This post is no longer an intention. It’s very real – the result of my commitment to write it.
Your thoughts?
- – -
All Contents International Copyright 2009 Jay Aaron: Think New Thoughts. Get New Results.” All International Rights Reserved.
The Author grants reprint permission without further inquiry only to those who provide proper Copyright credit and include a link to Jay Aaron: Think New Thoughts. Get New Results.” at http://JayAaron.com
Tags: action, commitment, inaction, intention, priorities, results, Success
