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Success Shines Through

When I'm not traveling the world on business, I frequently stay in a corporate hotel just outside of Boston. Truth be told, it's not glamorous, but I don't require much from a hotel. A decent bed, internet access, and warm water is about all I need. Contrary to popular belief, I'm not high maintenance. (At least not when it comes to hotels.)

When I wake up at this particular hotel, I usually roll out of bed (figuratively) and tumble downstairs (literally) to grab a quick bite to eat before setting off on my day. Each morning, I'm greeted by a familiar sight. Tucked away in the nook of a long hallway stands a tall chair with metal footrests and a sign that reads "Complimentary shoe shine". Now for those of you who don't frequently think about the trials and tribulations of business life, shiny shoes are a glorious thing. In a way, your shoes represent your attention for detail and pride in your presentation and personal standards. Shoe shining is admittedly a lost art, but many people still consider the quality of your shoes to be a direct reflection on your attitude and your mindset. (Stop looking down - no one can see your shoes right now.)

So you can see why the prospect of a complimentary shoe shine is very helpful and downright exciting. (Yippee!) There's only one problem, though. In the 2+ years I've been staying at the hotel, I've never seen anyone getting a shoeshine. This most likely has something to do with the fact that I've never seen an actual shoe shiner on duty. (Oops.) This situation presents a certain conundrum. Does the hotel get credit for offering a service that can't be fulfilled? Or does this empty promise actually make matters worse?

I'm of the opinion that if you say you'll do something, you should do it. (I'm funny that way.)

Before we form a picket line or fire off a letter to the governor, let's agree that the hotel can be forgiven to some extent. The truth is that many of us make the same mistake in our own lives. (Ouch.) We've all been known to make halfhearted commitments, particularly in the area of self-improvement. We say the right thing, but with all apologies to Spike Lee, we don't always do the right thing. Like my hotel management, we sometimes make commitments we can't keep. Many of you may be thinking that this doesn't apply to you, since you're especially good at following through on the promises you make to other people. (Which we all appreciate.) But, I'm afraid I'm also including the promises you silently make to yourself. (Double ouch.)

Think back to a recent commitment you've made to yourself. Perhaps you thought to yourself that you would like to lose some weight, do something about your financial health, look for a new job, look for a new partner, or find a new rich and thin partner who has a great job - whatever. Can you think of more than a few times when you didn't do the things you know you needed to do to honor that commitment? If so, don't fret - you're not alone.

It turns out that many of us realize that we need to do a better job in the area of personal commitments and follow-through. In that spirit, here are some suggestions around how to make and keep a commitment:

1. Start now - There's no better time than the present to develop winning ways. Don't wait any longer. Promise yourself that you're going to complete this simple exercise.
2. Start small - Remember that we're out to develop better habits a little bit at a time. Rome wasn't built in a day. (Milan, yes, Rome, no way!) Don't bite off too much, but rather start with a tiny, symbolic gesture. There will be plenty of time to raise the bar a bit later.
3. Write it down - This is the part everyone sucks at. (Sorry to be so frank.) Many of us take a lackadaisical approach to our success. We're so busy saying "yeah, yeah" that we don't properly capture our intentions. Writing down a goal or commitment gets you much further along. It sounds too easy, but it works. (Kind of like Paris Hilton without the working.)
4. Overthink it - This seems counterintuitive, but I want you to overdo this initial commitment. I give you permission to obsess over it. Roll it around in your mind - no matter how small. (The commitment, that is, not your mind.) Make your follow through big and deliberate for effect. It will pay off in the long run.
5. Review without remorse until complete - I don't care if it takes you 5 minutes, 5 days, or even 5 years to complete the task. You shouldn't either. Beating yourself up will get you nowhere. If you get the urge to throw a pity party or get angry about not fulfilling a commitment, re-channel that energy into setting off to complete it now. The past is in the past.
6. Check the box - Once you are able to fulfill the commitment, don't be modest - celebrate! Check off the accomplishment, pat yourself on the back (or backside or whatever you fancy) and appreciate the victory. Again, the spirit of the achievement is much more important than whatever was actually achieved. Never deny yourself the good feelings that success brings - you earned it!

Let's all agree to develop a habit of making and fulfilling personal commitments. This is a critical skill we'll need to develop if we're each going to reach our full potential! There are a million reasons you may run off the rails from time to time, but you can always start fresh and get back on track. To be truly successful, you have to apply your personal convictions by making key commitments and then follow-through!

I've got the same advice for my hotel, by the way. Either follow through on your promise of shiny shoes or remove the sign. I'll be happy either way. (It's not something that I expected until you led me to expect it.) So choose one, but realize that I'm not satisfied with a hollow promise and soiled loafers.

And my advice to myself? You guessed it. Do a better job of making the right commitments and doing the necessary work to make them a reality.

That reminds me of my next personal commitment - I think I'll go shine my shoes!

Coaching Quickie: Success Shines Through

Check back next week for results!

Last Week's Results

Coaching Quickie: Tip of the Day
When you've been in need, how often has a useful tip come your way?

(00%) Always - It's uncanny, but it happens all the time.
(100%) Sometimes - I can think of several recent examples.
(00%) Rarely - I've got a hot tip once or twice at the most.
(00%) Never - I'm on my own out here, for better or worse.