Today, the wind is blowing hard in Colorado. It also happens to be trash day in my neighborhood. The trash cans are moving left to right along the street. They are mainly running away from their appointed locations, and it is a sight to behold.
The scene reminds of something very personal, and a question popped into my mind. Have you ever asked yourself: Should I indeed continue doing this? I have, and I’ll bet that you also have. Running away may sometimes be the right thing to do, but most often it is the more comfortable thing to do. Usually, when times are difficult people tend to run versus stand and fight. And I am not just talking about confrontational fighting; I am referring more to staying the course and trying to make something work when it is just plain tricky.
If you watch bucks or rams squaring off during mating season, you see the purest form of running away. Those confrontations typically last a limited time. I’ve often wondered why that is. The runner was not hurt but chose to run just because he may have been pushed back a bit or perhaps because he sensed that he was not the stronger of the two combatants. Regardless of the reason, he lacked the commitment to continue in the battle to attempt to turn the tide.
On the contrary, I have witnessed boxing matches between two men that displayed one with superior strength who ended up losing momentum during the fight and ultimately losing the contest. That exact illustration occurred in the 1974 Rumble in the Jungle, when Muhammed Ali defeated the powerful George Foreman for the heavyweight championship. It was a comeback that didn’t seem possible as Foreman pounded away at a covered-up Ali until George ran out of gas and Ali took over the fight and went on to victory. The famous “rope-a-dope” tactic used by Ali seemed absurd for several rounds and risky due to the apparent beating Ali was taking. And yet, he stayed with it until the tide turned in his favor.
As of this writing, tiny Loyola of Chicago University has emerged into the elite eight of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. They have defeated three higher-seeded opponents in a row to get to here, by a total of four points. What happens during the next game may not extend their Cinderella story into the final four. But they have displayed visible commitment to continue winning against steep odds and move forward. I am not sure if another eleventh seed has ever won three consecutive games by one point each during March Madness.
I recently listed to John Maxwell speak when he said that without commitment, nothing comes to you. That doesn’t mean that committing to something will ensure that it will occur. Nor does it expect that whatever you are involved in, you should stay committed. But as John also stated in that talk, you should remain with whatever you are doing to determine what fruit will come from it. It may be a lesson learned regarding what not to do, who not to associate with, or something revealed in yourself that needs addressing. And of course, it could be equivalent to an Ali turnaround victory or a spot in the Elite Eight of the NCAA tournament. Either way, the fruit comes from the other side of commitment. Without that there would be no received value.
As I look into my past while thinking about commitment, there are as many holes as swiss cheese. I have walked and even run from positions that just didn’t feel good to me. Then the question becomes, did I commit long enough to realize the value contained in those situations or did I bolt too soon? Ask yourself that question, and you will likely get some of the same answers I have. Did you run away from a relationship, a confrontation, a job, a situation that was difficult? Did you try to make it work or work through it? Did you give it your best shot? How about today? Are you in one of those problematic spots that make you ask yourself “Do I want to keep doing this?”
If you are embarrassed by any of those recollections, you don’t need to feel alone or ashamed for long. You are human. What you think may also help shed light on your present or future paths and affect your level of “stick-to-itiveness” going forward. I know, that is not a real word, but you know what it means. Committing to getting to a place where you can get something out of the endurance, whether a lesson learned, or a victory won, will provide you reward, and you will be glad that you did.