I woke up late this morning. It caused me to reflect on the reason I get up in the first place. Commitments came to mind.

Sleeping late and writing early don’t slide their feet under the same table.

Commitments limit and expand at the same time but in opposing directions. People who believe they can have it all end up as skid marks that vanish in the fog.

Commitments:

Commitments add meaning to life.

Commitments declare that others can depend on you.

Commitments are fortified with NO.

“People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. I’m actually as proud of the things we haven’t done as the things I have done. Innovation is saying no to 1,000 things.” Steve Jobs

6 relationships that cause you to overcommit:

Relationships explain commitment-making styles.

1. Greed – your relationship with money.
2. Insecurity – your relationship with yourself.
3. Fear – your relationship with environments.
4. Pleasing – your relationship with team members.
5. Ambition – your relationship with the future.
6. Guilt – your relationship with the past.

Successful commitment-making:

1. Pause before you commit. Over-commitment creates chaos, stress, mediocrity, and self-accusation.
2. Use people-pleasing as a tool to NOT overcommit. Stop disappointing people by dropping the ball.
3. Reflect on current responsibilities and future aspirations when making commitments.
4. Infuse self-knowledge into commitment-making. Know your talents and strengths so you can seize relevant opportunities.

What causes leaders to overcommit?

What guidelines help you make commitments?

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This post was previously published on Leadership Freak with a Creative Commons License.

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