Are you afraid of commitment?
Commitment is an interesting topic when you really think about it because it is easy to commit to things when it is convenient for you.
It is easy to commit to going to a party or go out drinking with your friends, but it is not so easy to commit to something like dieting and going to the gym everyday.
It's not easy committing to things that you think are hard and this is often why people either quit or never start to begin with.
People can commit to their daily bottle of wine with dinner, but can't commit to their partner long term.
I have discussed in past blogs about the importance of men being able to commit to things and commit to the things that are hard so that he can gain leverage and become more capable as a man.
As men, we are designed to do things that are hard and it requires some level of commitment to do something that is hard and finish the job.
It requires an even higher level of commitment to do hard things over a prolonged period of time and get results from those things.
Like anything, commitment first starts with the self by making commitments to yourself and living up to them.
Committing to yourself needs to be first before you choose to commit to anyone else.
If a man cannot commit to making himself better in some way every single day, then how can he expect to be able to commit to one woman for the rest of his life?
Commitment means never breaking promises.
Commitment means finishing that which you started and doing it with honor, hard work, and dignity.
So the question then becomes: how can one tell if a man is committed or not?
Or the more important question being: how can one tell if a man is committed to everything that he does and not just committed to things that are convenient for him?
While it may be obvious, his level of physical fitness will be the first sign.
A man that is in good physical shape is a man that is committed, consistent, disciplined, and has the ability to delay gratification.
A man that is punctual and shows up to things on time is a man that is committed because he is not wasting his time trying to get out the door to be somewhere - he knows where he needs to be, when he needs to be there, and makes sure he is there on time if not early.
A man that is in the constant pursuit of knowledge is a man that is committed to learning new things to give himself leverage.
A man that is loyal to his friends because he understands that true loyalty is hard to come by and he is committed to being there for his closest friends when they need him.
A man that makes time for the people he cares about the most is a man that is committed to the one's he loves.
A man that is driven by purpose is a man that is committed to what he does because what he does makes him fulfilled.
These are just a few ways to be able to identify if a man is who he says that he is and he does so through his actions.
When a man is truly committed, he understands that giving up is not an option, regardless of how he feels about it.
A man that is committed is willing to go through pain because he understands that strength is founded through pain.
A man that is committed understands that long term reward is more important than short term gratification.
This is why something as simple as being in good physical shape is a good indicator if a man is committed or not.
The body has to go through pain to get stronger and to grow.
You HAVE to be consistent because overnight results do not exist when it comes to being low in body fat or having good muscle definition - this is utilizing the ability to delay gratification through consistent effort and long term thinking.
Now, this doesn't mean that every man in good shape is a man that is committed to everything that he does, but the qualities that a man needs to be in good shape can be applied to everything that he does to achieve desired outcomes.
Just because a man is in good shape doesn't necessarily mean he is going to be good at relationships, however, he is capable of being a good man in a relationship if he is able to understand that all it takes is a shift in his focus.
There is a difference between selfishness and commitment, as I alluded to earlier when I mentioned the difference between a man that is committed to everything he does versus the man that only commits to things that are convenient for him.
This is where I believe having pure intentions is the difference between men that are committed compared to men that are selfish and conceited.
The selfish man that is committed to short term gratification and seeking pleasure, whereas the man that is committed to long term reward is truly committed.
It is hard being a man that is committed to everything that he does, but it is a challenge in which he willing to face head on.
As I always say, God and the universe is extremely rewarding to those that are committed and willing to work at building themselves not just for their own benefit, but for the benefit of everybody around them.