Think about the commitments in your life. What do they all have in common? A promise. Commitment is a pledge to give your time and energy to something or someone you believe in. Practicing commitment is not always easy and requires incredible mental resilience to maintain, particularly in the face of adversity, but we all have the opportunity to live this core value every day.

Here are 3 ways you can demonstrate commitment in your life:

Find Your Internal Motivation

Commitment without motivation means you are determined to achieve your goals, but you are unlikely to experience joy and more likely to burn out before your mission is accomplished. Outside forces may influence your drive, but truly effective commitment requires internal motivation. You must feel personally driven to persevere. Before you commit to something, consider your motivations first. Understanding the “why” behind your commitment will make it much easier to overcome obstacles and help you feel more fulfilled in the process. 

Keep Your Promises (and Make Promises You Can Keep)

The promises you make to yourself and others need to be non-negotiable or they aren’t really promises at all. A realistic outlook is important to avoid making promises you can’t keep. Taking inventory of your available resources and abilities will help you determine what types of promises you should or shouldn’t make. Demonstrate commitment by taking your promises seriously and holding them sacred. 

Hold Yourself Responsible

Owning your actions, particularly when something goes wrong, can be very painful. Accepting responsibility for failure leaves you vulnerable, but the willingness to accept that vulnerability demonstrates commitment. Taking responsibility for your actions is a principle lesson of the Character Development Program operated by the Congressional Medal of Honor Society. This program teaches children from elementary school to high school how to demonstrate commitment in their lives, along with the other five values embodied in the Medal of Honor – courage, sacrifice, patriotism, integrity, and citizenship. 

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