Commitment: Turning Promise into Reality

Where does commitment come from, and how can I get some?

Beginnings are fun – there is excitement, optimism, the promise of something new.  Successful endings are great, too, as you watch your idea bear fruit.

The tough part comes in the middle.  It’s the part that involves effort, and sacrifice.  Today I’ll share some thoughts and 18 motivational commitment quotes that will help you get through the hard parts so you can stay on track to turning your dream into a reality.

18 Commitment Quotes - Turning Promise into Reality

It Takes Commitment

The people who actually accomplish what they set out to do are the ones who are committed.

Once the spotlight and excitement of a new beginning starts to fade, the reality of the work looms.  There is so much to do, and that distant goal doesn’t seem to be getting any closer.

To keep going, it takes commitment.

Distractions and temptations will appear.  Something shiner, newer, seemingly easier may come into view to lure you from your path.

Every day you will have the opportunity to stray.  But to stray is to fail in your commitment.  What does it take to stay true?

Understand Your Why

If you really want to stick with something, to see it through to the finish, it’s good to start with a firm grasp of your “Why.”

When you can clearly articulate why you are doing something, it is easier to make those daily choices that allow you to remain on the path.  Simon Sinek illustrates this point beautifully with his Celery Test.

Commitment is a daily choice to keep going, to say no to the distractions and temptations, and decide that you will remain focused on your goal and do what it takes to get there.

Unless you plan to win the lottery, recognize that the dream takes time, effort, and discipline to form into a reality.  Progress is usually measured in inches, not miles.

And for leaders, commitment is a critical component of trust – you have to be committed not only to your goals and ideas, but also to the people on your team.  Every day.

With that in mind, here are a few quotes about commitment to help you through another day, and get you a few more inches closer to your goal.

Because if you can wake up every day and find a way to take one more step forward, that’s progress.

18 Commitment Quotes

It was character that got us out of bed, commitment that moved us into action, and discipline that enabled us to follow through. - Zig Ziglar Click To Tweet

The only limit to your impact is your imagination and commitment. - Tony Robbins Click To Tweet

Individual commitment to a group effort – that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work. - Vince Lombardi Click To Tweet

Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes...but no plans. - Peter Drucker Click To Tweet

Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort. – Paul J. Meyer Click To Tweet

Commitment is an act, not a word. - Jean-Paul Sartre Click To Tweet

Desire is the key to motivation, but it’s determination and commitment to an unrelenting pursuit of your goal – a commitment to excellence – that will enable you to attain the success you seek. - Mario Andretti Click To Tweet

Commitment is what transforms a promise into a reality. - Abraham Lincoln Click To Tweet

When you step on the treadmill, make a commitment. Do, say, 3 miles a day. And don’t get off until you finish. It doesn’t matter what speed you’re going. Just don’t get off. - Tyrese Gibson Click To Tweet

Most people fail, not because of lack of desire, but, because of lack of commitment. - Vince Lombardi Click To Tweet

There’s a difference between interest and commitment. When you’re interested in doing something, you do it only when it’s convenient. When you’re committed to something, you accept no excuses; only results. - Kenneth Blanchard Click To Tweet

Commitment leads to action. Action brings your dream closer. - Marcia Wieder Click To Tweet

Commitment is doing the thing you said you were going to do long after the mood you said it in has left you. - Unknown Click To Tweet

Commitment: Either you do or you don’t, there is no in-between. - Unknown Click To Tweet

There is but one degree of commitment: total. - Arnie Sherr Click To Tweet

Your behavior reflects your actual purposes. - Ronald A. Heifetz Click To Tweet

One person with commitment accomplishes more than a thousand with an opinion. - Orrin Woodward Click To Tweet

And one last one for you:

The man who wants a garden fair,
Or small or very big,
With flowers growing here and there,
Must bend his back and dig.

The things are mighty few on earth
That wishes can attain.
Whate’er we want of any worth
We’ve got to work to gain.

It matters not what goal you seek,
It’s secret here reposes:
You’ve got to dig from week to week
To get Results or Roses.

– Edgar A. Guest

So be sure of your “Why,” and dig in that garden every day, and soon you will begin to see the fruit of your labors.

Lead On!

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About the Author: Ken Downer
Ken Downer - Founder RapidStart Leadership

Ken served for 26 years in the Infantry, retiring as a Colonel.  From leading patrols in the Korean DMZ, to parachuting into the jungles of Panama, to commanding a remote outpost on the Iran-Iraq border, he has learned a lot about leadership, and has a passion for sharing that knowledge with others.  Look for his weekly posts, check out his online courses, subscribe below, or simply connect, he loves to talk about this stuff.

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