Are you committed, or are you merely participating?

In a coaching session earlier this week, I was reminded of the powerful difference between 'involvement/participation' and 'commitment.'

As the client, I was struggling with having to make some lifestyle changes to improve my physical health and well-being.

For years, I've joked that I'd be the worst client for any health coach, because I didn't feel bad enough to take action, and I wasn't connected to how much better I could feel if I took action...so I didn't take action toward improvement.

Instead, I took action toward mediocrity: not exercising consistently, not eating as healthily as I could, not doing the work that would create change. My actions were toward non-action.

My commitment was to my comfort, not to becoming uncomfortable and creating a place for growth.

How to tell the difference between participation and commitment

Toward the end of the conversation with my coach, I was reminded of a variant on the story of the chicken and the pig. You can read the main version here.

In my version, it's a ham, egg, and cheese sandwich.

The chicken and the cow participated/were involved in making the sandwich. The pig was committed.

In that moment, I realized I had been committed to mediocre health...merely OK, not super.

That's not how I live the rest of my life, so it's time to make a shift.

It's time for me to be the pig when it comes to my health.

Trust can help create commitment

I am committing to my health and physical well-being, even if that makes me uncomfortable, sore, tired, etc...because in discomfort we have the opportunity to grow.

To create that commitment, I must connect to my trust.

• Trusting that I’ll be consistent

• Trusting that I’ll be gracious and ruthless when (if) I am not consistent

• Trusting that my actions will close the gap from where I am to where I want to be

• Trusting that I can be who I need to be to live that commitment

There is a part of me that hates working out, and maybe what it really hates is that sore feeling that hits two days after a strenuous workout.

In taking action, I need to reframe my thoughts and feelings about that ache. Instead of feeling bad because I am sore, I need to realize that I am sore because my muscles are being broken down to be made stronger.

The discomfort will reduce with familiarity to the process.

And so it is with life changes in general…discomfort brings growth.

Showing up creates opportunity. Commitment creates results.

In what part(s) of your life have you been merely participating?

What would happen for you if you became a committed pig with them?

Commitment creates transformation.

What are you going to commit to accomplishing? Who are you going to commit to being?

Let me know how I can help.