Saturday, February 22, 2014

Commitment

"Commitment is a big part of what I am and what I believe. How committed are you to winning? How committed are you to being a good friend? To being trustworthy? To being successful? How committed are you to being a good father, a good teammate, a good role model? There's that moment every morning when you look in the mirror: Are you committed, or are you not?"- LeBron James

In the Bollywood movie, Dabang, there is this famous dialogue that I like a lot. It is, "Ek baar jab maine commitment kar di to fir to main apne aap ki bhi nahin sunta." Translated in English, it means, once I have made/given a commitment, then I will not even listen to my own self. Or that I always keep my commitment. How many of you are really particular about honoring your commitment, keeping your word and promise? How much does it really matter to you? Do you know and understand that it actually depicts the kind of a person you are. 

Lord Ram from Ramayana, went and stayed in forests for fourteen years, only to honor the commitment, the word, the promise that his father had made to his other wife (his step mother). Today we worship him as Maryada Purushottam Ram. 
Whether it is a commitment in a relationship, a business commitment, a financial commitment, or any other commitment, it must be honored. Even if you commit to yourself- e.g you make a commitment of going to a gym, loosing some weight, etc, work hard to keep your commitment. For most of the people I know, commitment means nothing. Whether it is committing to meet at a particular time or committing to attend a friend's Birthday, nothing means anything to anyone. People know more about excuses than commitments.
I am one of those, who feels that once I have made a commitment, then it is do or die situation for me. Come what may, I will keep my word.

Do you realize that you hurt others, whom you have committed or promised, when you do not keep your commitment. You make them feel that I do not care for you and for your happiness. You and your feelings mean nothing to me. I choose to back out of my commitment. I choose to crush your hope. You break the other person's heart and you play with their emotions. If the other person is strong, he/she deals with it. But you play it all wrong. So those of you who have wronged someone, who have not honored your commitments, who have broken hearts, wake up and fulfill your unkept words and promises.

A pledge, an oath needs to be kept and fulfilled. In this world everything does not have to be legal and be on paper. Trust is build and also broken by the fact whether you keep your promise or not.
Children give their words to their parents. I will not smoke or drink again. And then they do it. Commitment gone and so is trust. Trust is a foundation of any relationship. The expression, "I trust you", has much more meaning, significance and emotion than even "I love you." And trust is gained and lost through commitments. Keeping your word and commitment, establishes your credibility as a human being. That is the only way your reputation is made or marred.
Every relationship requires a lot of commitment. In fact, more that jealousies, love, etc, what enables two individuals in a relationship, to stick to each other, is their commitment. Because once, that is not there, the relationship finishes in one moment. Commitment is not just a word but an act and a feeling that keeps the hope alive. A person who keeps his commitments is always more reliable and trustworthy. 

"I have a loyalty that runs in my bloodstream, when I lock into someone or something, you can't get me away from it because I commit that thoroughly. That's in friendship, that's a deal, that's a commitment. Don't give me paper - I can get the same lawyer who drew it up to break it. But if you shake my hand, that's for life"- 
Jerry Lewis

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