What do you get out of the deal? Money, love, tax break, security, muscle, fame, positive vibe, power, believe you are making a positive difference, sex, legacy, fulfilling a promise or responsibility? We have a motivation for everything we do and clarity of expectation is helpful.
Being published on the cover of Time magazine is not the intent. It's just you and me over a cup of coffee in a judgment-free zone. So, why do you commit your resources to the people and causes you have chosen?
After all, your lover, kids, job, parents, soup kitchen, animal shelter, writing open source code, or working the garden, are an investment of your most precious resources, your time and attention. The financier invests money expecting a return, and the metrics are clear. The investor can make more money, but we have only one life.
I do not have a perfect record of meeting all my commitments, and my enthusiasm ebbs and flows over time. During a lifetime, I learn my early indicators of my interest waning. Remembering why I fell in love with the person or cause helps to reinvigorate my passion for the commitment and look for additional reasons to put my name on the roster.
On your deathbed, will you look back at your current commitments and judge them as worthy of your time and attention?
Going Futher: What commitment rewards are easy and hard to identify? What answers surprised you? What commitments provide the greatest reward or the most satisfaction?