Resolutions vs. Commitments

Really? Really? It's been since October 29th that I've posted on here. OOPS! I have decided that I must post at least one blog per week this year. Time permitting, I will post more. I want to write today about the difference between a New Year's Resolution and a commitment. I've been doing some research about effective goal setting. According to Wikipedia a commitment is: "Commitment means to duty or pledge to some thing or someone, and can refer to: Personal commitment, interaction dominated by obligations. These obligations may be mutual, or self-imposed, or explicitly stated, or may not. Distinction is often made between commitment as a member of an organisation (such as a sporting team, a religion, or as an employee). A personal commitment is a pledge or promise to ones' self for personal growth." While a New Year's Resolution is: " A New Year's Resolution is a commitment that an individual makes to a project or a habit, often a lifestyle change that is generally interpreted as advantageous. The name comes from the fact that these commitments normally go into effect on New Year's Day and remain until fulfilled." According to the dictionary: "RESOLUTION > Noun. (1) a firm decision to do or not to do something: she kept her resolution not to see Anne any more ¦ a New Year's resolution." "COMMITMENT > (1) the state or quality of being dedicated to a cause or activity: the company's commitment to quality ¦ I could not fault my players for commitment." Some might say the difference between the two is splitting hairs. For me, there is a difference bigger than a hair. For years, I was ready to start my new weight loss plan on New Years. Since I had failed and was still overweight at Thanksgiving of X year, I would get through the holidays and come the first of the year I would make my resolution to lose weight. I was determined. I was going to get the weight off once and for all. Sometimes my resolution involved a certain exercise plan or sometimes it involved a specific diet such as Weight Watchers. One year I remember doing something Dr. Phil had prescribed. I bought a book and spent Christmas break reading it so I was ready on the 1st. However, since 2010 I have been committed to getting fit and healthy. As a result, I have lost a significant amount of weight and gained a lot of self confidence. Guess what? That commitment did not start in January. I think that I had joined a Biggest Loser contest at work and was trying once again to eat healthy. Actually, I was going through the motions of weighing in every week. Sometimes I lost, more often than not I gained or stayed the same. Frustration grew. Even bitterness toward those who were being really successful. For me the commitment started in May of 2010 when I first started working with Trainer Mike. Again, the difference between making a resolution and making a commitment. A resolution is “the act of resolving or determining upon an action or course of action, method, procedure, etc.” In contrast, a commitment is defined as “a pledge or promise; obligation.” For me, the difference between the two is where the personal responsibility lies. A resolution says what one intends to do. A commitment contains more emotional responsibility because one is making a "promise" to achieve a goal. When I make a promise, I keep it because my integrity is on the line. When I am committed to something, I do what it takes to make it happen. As I've been conducting interviews for my dissertation which examines the new Missouri Teacher Evaluation Model, I have found that one of the areas on which teachers are evaluated is commitment. This might include something as basic as having the right certification and credentials. In reality, it includes far more. Things that are looked at are what a teacher does as far as professional growth, their commitment to their students, commitment to their organization, and commitment to the craft of teaching in general. Many businesses have evaluated employee commitment for a long time. As professionals, many of us are committed to our careers. A resolution, then, might be a goal one sets and one might even take steps toward reaching that goal. In my opinion the reason why so often we aren't successful with our resolutions is because they are the first thing to go when the New Year wears off and life sets in. You know life? Professional obligations, family obligations, stress...Yep when those things get in the way we let our resolutions go. If we are committed to something we are more likely to hold onto it. Experts say we often self sabotage by getting to ambitious and setting too many goals. I have made a few commitments this year which I posted on my FB page. My number 1 commitment which comes before anything else is my commitment to my fitness journey. Therefore, I am committed to lose the final 40. There are many action steps that go with this. I have to get to the gym every day. I have to make the right food choices. I need to get enough sleep. I have to take my vitamins. You get it. I do all of these action steps because I am committed to my fitness journey. As we begin the new year make sure you examine what you are setting yourself up for. Are you making a resolution because it's the thing to do? Or are you making a commitment for which you will set action steps and follow through? I'm just Bunchy. I am only speaking from my experience. If you have set resolutions in the past and been successful, CARRY ON!!! FYI: Two other commitments I have made this year. 1) Keep up on my Bunchy Beats The Bulge FB page and 2) Be a more frequent blogger. If you need help getting going, let me know. I'll help if I can. :)