6 Relationships that Cause you to Overcommit
I woke up late this morning. It caused me to reflect on the reason I get up in the first place. Commitments came to mind.
Every commitment is a limitation.
Sleeping late and writing early don’t slide their feet under the same table.
Commitments limit and expand at the same time but in opposing directions. People who believe they can have it all end up as skid marks that vanish in the fog.
Commitments:
Commitments add meaning to life.
Commitments declare that others can depend on you.
Commitments distinguish between catastrophe and achievement in a frantic world.
Commitments are fortified with NO.
“People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully. I’m actually as proud of the things we haven’t done as the things I have done. Innovation is saying no to 1,000 things.” Steve Jobs
A yes without a no is over-commitment.
6 relationships that cause you to overcommit:
Relationships explain commitment-making styles.
- Greed – your relationship with money.
- Insecurity – your relationship with yourself.
- Fear – your relationship with environments.
- Pleasing – your relationship with team members.
- Ambition – your relationship with the future.
- Guilt – your relationship with the past.
Successful commitment-making:
- Pause before you commit. Over-commitment creates chaos, stress, mediocrity, and self-accusation.
- Use people-pleasing as a tool to NOT overcommit. Stop disappointing people by dropping the ball.
- Reflect on current responsibilities and future aspirations when making commitments.
- Infuse self-knowledge into commitment-making. Know your talents and strengths so you can seize relevant opportunities.
A commitment is a decision made once.
What causes leaders to overcommit?
What guidelines help you make commitments?
Oh boy, Dan! This one hit home!
Ambition – your relationship with the future.
Guilt – your relationship with the past.
Saying no and sticking to the focus- your relationship with the present.
I love Steve Job’s quote combined with your comment “Use people-pleasing as a tool to NOT overcommit. Stop disappointing people by dropping the ball.” Together, it helps to shape priorities and place value on commitment, accountability, trust, and teamwork.
Thanks Bardohn5. It’s a pleasure to motivate a little discomfort. 👍
Heaven knows I feel it.
“Don’t let your mouth take on more than your shoulders can bear.” Once I made that my mantra, I was able to say no when it was appropriate. Stress went down; work quality went up.
What causes leaders to overcommit?
“Drive” jumps out we are driven to extremes as a human trait to succeed. We pick ourselves up and do things till we succeed.
What guidelines help you make commitments? Ask questions, know when to say “No” is big, yet we are reluctant because we are tuned to do everything.
Happy Friday 🙂