The Power of Personal, Internal Commitment

The Desert of Arizona
Partly Cloudy 57 Degrees

I’m always extremely grateful for the miracles that play out in my life. A few years ago, I purchased an excellent book by Steve Chandler called Time Warrior. If you want to be more effective in your work, get this book. It’s that valuable.

When I’m reading a book, certain details seem to jump out at me. I’m not sure if that’s what happens with you, but it happens with me. Seemingly insignificant details end up ushering in major change.

Throughout the book, the author kept mentioning a coach by the name of Steve Hardison. Being the curious guy I am, I looked into this man and found that he charges $150,000 (prepaid in full) for the coaching services he offers. Based on the feedback from his clients, he helps people achieve pretty amazing things. (Clate Mask, founder of Infusionsoft, was a client.)

Then I watched a 2 hour video of Steve telling the story of a football player named Deuce Lutui.

What’s the video about? The power of personal internal commitment. And a demonstration of what that looks like in someone’s life.

You want to do something great in your business? Watch the video. Then take the clarity from that and go forward. Here’s a short version.

We’ve all read this quote:

“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits one-self, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner of unforeseen incidents and meetings and material assistance, which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.” -William Hutchinson Murray (1913-1996)

It’s easy to read that, but I’ve always had trouble with commitment. As weird as it sounds, finding something to “commit to” was always a challenge. Nothing is good enough I thought. Somehow I had this weird idea that commitment was putting myself in a box that would limit my choices.

Duh! That’s exactly what it’s supposed to do. That’s how you achieve things.

Sadly, I was clueless. Commitment is not a prison, it is the point of liberation… in business and in life.

Commitment simplifies decision making. Commitment simplifies time management.

Commitment simplifies marketing. Commitment simplifies client work.

Back in the summer of 2011, I committed to writing this Client Letter every weekday.

I really had no idea at the time just how powerful that simple
“commitment” (which was really all I was capable of at the time) would turn out to be.

Deuce Lutui began his work with Steve Hardison as the self-professed “Lindsay Lohan” of the Arizona Cardinals. He ended his work as TBOLITNFL (watch the video to hear what that is) in his mind, body and spirit.

What happens if you embark on a transformation like that in your own business?
As Steve says, “An unwillingness to commit is the high cost of low living.”