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When was the last time you made a conscious decision to recommit to your goals, passions or desires? Commitment is defined as the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause, activity, or duty. It is also defined as an engagement or obligation that restricts freedom of action.
A commitment leaves no room for an alternate course of action. What decisions in your life are you totally committed to? Which areas do you need to revisit and renew your commitment?
I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Kay Holt to discuss her process of recommitment and her experiences with the process. Kay is the Executive Director of the Canterbury Choral Society. Canterbury is a for-purpose organization focused on changing lives through the use of music.
Much like any other organization that has existed for 46 years, Canterbury has experienced ups and downs but has managed to thrive with the commitment of an entire team effort. Kay affirms, “In our heart is the belief that music changes lives. It changes the listener as well as the performer. No art form has a more immediate or emotionally complex effect than live music. And no instrument speaks to the heart as much as the human voice. And this is why we must continually recommit our efforts, because we can change lives.”
When you recommit to your purpose you must take a step back and see the big picture. What is the primary outcome that you seek? You must know this outcome before you can refresh your efforts.
Kay studied at Stanford with famous business author Jim Collins. Jim calls the process of focusing, the “Hedgehog Principle.” He discusses how a fox is clever in many ways trying to attack, but the hedgehog is focused only on defense, thus allowing him to be successful over the wily fox. By committing to one special area, you are giving yourself the greatest chance at being successful.
What is your one area that needs recommitment?
Kay stated, “People want the arts to seek out more real human experiences.” And she added, “We had to examine every single detail of the organization and decide if those were aimed at supporting one single purpose. Every detail which did not support our singular purpose was eliminated.”
In life it is natural to pick up extra baggage along our journey. It is wise to take a timeout and reflect on what you have picked up along the way. Many times you may have picked up some extra bad habits, additional commitments or time-killing rituals that are only holding you back. This is when it’s time to recommit to your purpose.
Kay and her team realized that, “We needed to spend and build community throughout the region, and this took a full team effort. We changed the way we label ourselves as an organization, we describe ourselves as for-purpose as opposed to non-profit, because that’s what we’re here for, for a purpose.”
Is it time to redefine yourself? Is it time to upgrade to the next level of you? You are meant to do great things, things far beyond your imagination. You live in a time and place where reality is changing every day and your future is bright. The greatest opportunity of your life is happening right now. Your biography is not your destiny unless you live in it. What turns you on and gets you excited for life? How powerful could you be if you narrow your focus on a singular outcome?
Kay insisted that, “All processes need to be bundled and filtered through the recommitting to your purpose. We are builders and have a builders-mentality. A builders-mentality is one that wants to leave a legacy and is driven in pursuit of creating. It’s important to constantly recommit to your purpose by reaffirming your beliefs, goals and desires.”
Recommitting can be scary. Recommitting may mean that you have to face past failures and spend some time with them. You already know what you need to recommit to, and you have probably questioned whether or not it’s worth the effort. The opportunity for you to make a decision is here right now. Recommit and prosper.
Vincent Van Gogh said, “If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint and the voice will be silenced.”
Jake Bollig is an author and researcher of personal development. Contact him with comments at jakebollig@gmail.com.
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