Leaders with “It” are Committed!

You can begin “Seizing It” through understanding and practicing commitment.

Years ago I was in a study group and someone gave out a “poem” on commitment, with the author  listed as “anonymous”.  At the time I was a fairly new manager and struggling with some personal issues in my life.  The opening sentence gave me great pause.  (“Until one is committed there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness.”)  I had the sudden shocking realization that I spent a lot of my time as if poised on the edge of my chair.  Not sitting all the way back in the seat and getting comfortable, and not getting up and walking away.  I was trying to keep all of my options open, choosing to believe that made me flexible.  But in a moment of deep personal insight  I saw my approach really was ineffective.  At some point, whether in my personal life or professional life, I really did need to choose an option and commit deeply to it.

Since then, I have repeated this opening line so many times over the years that my 18 year-old daughter has put it in a list of quotes she is developing for college.  🙂

The text goes on to make other equally profound points:  that once we  commit things begin to happen to support that commitment, and that we must start whatever it is we dream about. 

May this “poem”  enrich your journey in the way that it enriches mine.   May it help you grow in awareness that you, too, can begin “Seizing It” through the practice of commitment in your personal and professional lives.

Commitment

Until one is committed there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness.

Concerning all acts of initiative, or creation, there is one elementary truth, and ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans:

that once one is committed then Providence moves too!

All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred.

A whole stream of events raises in ones favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and accidents and material assistance,

which no one could have dreamt would have come his way.

I have learned a deep respect for one of Goethe’s couplets:

“Whatever you do, or dream you can do, begin it!  Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.”

Copyright © 2009  Pamela Geer, SeizingIt.com – All Rights Reserved