Pay the Price and Win the Reward like a Champion

How to Harness the Power of Commitment

Harvey Ramer

• 3 min read (694 words)

When I am in the middle of a project, I sometimes feel like I am losing my bearings, and my energy starts to fade. The clarity with which I began falters, and I search for external validation of the unfinished work. I question if I should continue. Will all this effort have any impact in the end? Perhaps you experience this too. If so, let me remind you of a simple truth. It takes commitment to complete anything worth doing.

Persisting through the middle of a project is simple but never easy. If you’re in the middle of a challenge, hanging onto four common-sense ideas will get you through.

“If you believe in yourself and have dedication and pride—and never quit, you’ll be a winner. The price of victory is high but so are the rewards.”
— Coach Bear Bryant

1. Believe in Yourself

Push past self-doubt. Life is too short to indulge in the excuse that you are not worthy. If you are breathing, you are worthy of the life you have. If you have any strength, you can use it for a positive impact on those around you.

Shame appears whenever we are weary or confused. Left unchecked, it silences life-changing stories and stops innovation cold. It causes us to hang our heads when we should be standing tall because it labels us with our worst mistakes rather than our greatest successes. Dump shame. Believe you are significant—that your life has value and purpose.

2. Renew Your Dedication

In the messy middle of a project, remember why you started. Was it to improve your financial situation, help others succeed, or grow your skills and reputation? Take a moment to reflect on your motivation. Ambition is good, and reconnecting with it will help you own your work and begin to move once more.

Once you clarify why you started, put it in writing and keep it handy where you can read it when you feel like quitting. The power of a written commitment is easy to underestimate. Don’t neglect it. Putting your agreement with yourself in writing is insurance against failure.

3. Take Pride in Your Work

You have value, and your work is also of great worth. But when doubt and discouragement set in, you will be tempted to let the quality of our work slide. Shoddy work will destroy your career and rob the world of the impact you would otherwise create.

Sweat the details with great care. Details should matter to you because they certainly do to those who will benefit from your labor.

4. Never Quit

If your self-examination shows that this project matters to you and the world, don’t give yourself an out. You’ve put yourself on the hook, so stay there. The corollary to this truth is this. Sometimes a project is ill-conceived or out of sync with your values, so you should correct your course. But keep moving.

Inaction will thwart your desire to leave a legacy. When you discover you began an ill-conceived project that won’t have the impact you intended, don’t just quit. Pivot. Return to your plans. Adjust them, and reembark with self-belief, dedication, and pride in your work. Success will come.

Never quit, but do pivot when necessary.

Name Your Weaknesses and Overcome Them

Have you ever started something and quit before giving it everything you had? Take a few moments with a pen and paper to jot down your reflections on past failures. What took you down? Was it a lack of confidence, commitment, or pride in your work that let you off the hook? Identify the causes, and use that knowledge as armor to protect your ambition and energy so you can make a powerful impact.

I hope you push past all the challenges that come your way and emerge with confidence, pride in your work, and the satisfaction of a job well done. Life is fleeting and precious, so invest your energy well. When you do, you will win, even if the outcome isn’t exactly what you imagined.