Jim, director of produce for a wholesale food distributor in Portland Oregon, told Session 7B of the Leadership Development Lab (LDL):

“At Session 3, Larry challenged us to apply five times more enthusiasm – “commitment in action” – to some important project, undertaking, or goal in our lives. Something we had been letting slide, which we had talked about as if it was important to us. I decided to re-double my commitment to action with five times more enthusiasm to repairing several things on my fifth wheel travel trailer. I had a long list of things I had been dragging my feet on, procrastinating, putting off.

First I set a deadline. I committed to having everything done before Christmas, then:

1. I made a complete list of everything that needed to be repaired
2. I sorted out what I could do myself and what I would have to delegate to a professional.
3. I made a material and parts list of the supplies I needed to complete the tasks I could personally complete (my list was complete with deadlines to purchase each item).
4. Then I set up specific job dates for each week.
5. I committed not to start a new task until I was finished with the previous one.
6. Then I broke my work to be done by professionals down to the various specialty repair shops.

7. Then I contacted each of the various repair businesses and made a specific appointment.

Some of these jobs had been hanging over my head for over two years. Now, four weeks after I went into action withfive times more enthusiasm, every item is complete and I can really relax on our weekend tips.

The lesson I learned from this experience is that when I have an absolute commitment with specific timelines in place for each task involved, I move forward. It is too easy to put things off and when and if I do, the projects don’t get done, not because I lack the time, it’s because I lack concentrated focus.

The action I call you to take is to find something big that you have been putting off. Make an absolute commitment. Break it down into a list of its component pieces. Put a completion time on each item on your list, as well as a final ‘to be done by date’ for the project and ‘just do it!’

The benefit you will gain is the satisfaction of getting something taken care of that has really been ‘bugging’ you, and know that you can accomplish all life hands you when you make a plan, commit with resolve and go into action!”