Commitment: Why Following Through is Imperative

Commitment really does mean something. When you make a commitment to do something, to be somewhere or to help someone, you need to follow through to the end. There are few – and I mean very few – acceptable excuses for not seeing something through to the end; I’m talking death or illness level excuses. No one likes a quitter.

The next time you sign up for a class or promise to help someone with something, consider this; your commitment means something to the people you’re helping. It means that they can rely on you and count on you for your help. Now, when you want to quit because it’s just not working out for you, consider these reasons for seeing it through to the end.

People Are Counting On You

Say you made a commitment to help someone with something on an ongoing basis. The people you help are counting on you to follow through, to do what you promise you will do and to commit to the project. Furthermore, when you leave them in the lurch because you decide to quit, you leave them to pick up the pieces and cover for you. This is not always a simple task.  

It Sets a Good Example

If you’re a parent, your actions speak far louder than your words. If you commit to doing something and allow yourself to quit, your kids will see that you don’t value your commitments. Additionally, if you allow your children to leave a team or sport because they simply don’t like it, you’re teaching them that they can quit things whenever they want with no regard to the promises they’ve made to their teammates.

It’s the Right Thing to Do

Seeing your commitments through to the end is the right thing to do. This doesn’t mean you have to sign up again next year, but it does mean you need to continue until you’re finished with your project this year. The same thing goes for your children. They might decide they hate football and they don’t have to play again next season. But they do need to learn to see their commitments through to the end.