LESSON #17: Commitment (The Choice is Yours)

By | July 29, 2008

In the previous lesson, we talked about motivation. More specifically, we talked about the need for long term, intrinsic motivation, and about how it should correlate with your overall vision.

I talked about how you need to be inspired and excited about your vision, and about how you can draw motivation from your vision.

But excitement alone is not enough to keep you going…

(Watch this video…)

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Main points:

  • Motivation is tied to our emotions, and our emotions have peaks and valleys.

  • What will you do when the excitement is gone?

  • (About the “hype cycle”)

  • You need commitment, and commitment is a choice.

  • “A vision grows from your soul, fed by commitment and passion, and can be articulated with descriptions of how things will be when the vision is achieved. If you cannot describe life within the vision, it is only a dream of imagination; if you cannot find the passion and perseverance, perhaps all you have is a plan for a goal.” – Dion McInnis

  • Passion comes easy for most of us entrepreneurial types, but commitment isn’t always so easy.

  • (Example of commitment in marriage)

  • The biggest enemy of commitment is probably fear.

  • Tips to help you commit to your vision…

    1) Feed your vision
    2) Make it the right level of priority
    3) Make sacrifices
    4) Develop good habits
    5) Be flexible
    6) Keep moving forward, no matter what
    7) Solidify your commitment in writing

    (Example of Bill Bright’s contract with God)

    Action steps:

    1) Commit to your vision. Write it down, sign and date it.

    2) List your priorities, in order of importance.

    3) Write down some habits you would like to develop, choose one to start with, and do it!

    As you commit to your vision, I believe you will be mentally prepared to begin the work of building your online business.

    The foundational portion of this learning series is almost complete; there’s just one more important question I need to address in the next lesson before we start putting together the pieces of your business.

    As always, you are welcome to post your questions and comments below. (Feel free to let me know if you’ve decided to commit to your vision)

    Have a great day!

  • 239 thoughts on “LESSON #17: Commitment (The Choice is Yours)

    1. Karan Kinder

      of all the lessons you have shared so far – this by far is the most important one. It has helped me understand and shape my commitment beyond all the emotional-hype inspirational things I have read over the years.

      You not only spoke to my business sense, you spoke to my soul and validated many of my beliefs that I could not put into words.

      God bless,

      Karan Kinder
      http://www.theBestAdirondackChair.com

      Reply
    2. ayodele adegbulugbe

      i do not have an online business yet,though i wish to.but i do have an offline business which i have just started.with what i have learnt so far,from lesson 1,there is no reason to fail.Now,i know what it takes to succeed in any business,either online or offline.
      thank you.

      Reply
    3. Reach Success Online

      Hi Eric,
      You’re right on again. In order to succeed you need to commit for the long haul. It may be difficult at times that’s when you need to review your vision anf go forward. I love the way you teach these lessons

      Reply
    4. David

      Bravo!! Once again you have provide another missing link that the gurus fail to mention. They all talk like your business is your life. Thank you for reminding us that we need to keep our priorities in order. That we need to be properly committed to all aspects of our life. As I did the action steps for this lesson I discovered there were more habits I needed to develop than I thought.

      Reply
    5. Carolina

      I sincerely thank you for the lessons…I have learned so much…I know our Lord will continue to bless you a hundred fold…just as you are blessing us “free of charge” with these gems of information…I also know that when we place our awesome God at the head of our lives He shows us FAVOR!!!Keep up the great work…Thanks to Him and under His guidance we will all be successful…Have a Jesus Day!!! Carolina

      Reply
    6. Carolina

      Thanks for the reminder…I do recognize that I leave projects without completing and inside of myself I know that is not the way to do things…guess that lazy little demon snuggles inside and gets very comfortable…well,I am determined not to allow myself to give up so easily…I have my goals written down and committed them to my everyday life and I will not fail because He who is in me is stronger than he who is in the world…I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me…what a blessing you have become in my life…all the glory to our awesome God…

      Reply
    7. Barry

      Hi Eric,

      Well I have to keep on complimenting you on the great lessons! Erics Tips just keep getting better and better! Thanks again, you are an awesome teacher, (this is coming from a veteran teacher).
      Quick question: (I went ahead and registered a domain name and got hosting at Hostgator even though we have not discussed this yet as I am on lesson #17). I keep hearing people say that to be successful in promoting your own product or even as an affilate marketer you must have your own website. Does having web pages with Squidoo or BlinkWeb to promote products fulfill this requirement or is having a distinct website better? Just wondering as I have not done very well on any products promoted with Squidoo or Blinkweb pages.
      Thank you,
      Barry

      Reply
    8. Ben

      Eric,
      It took courage to say what you did on the video today. I commend you, and you have credibility with me. God bless you, and keep you and your family well.
      Ben

      Reply
    9. leanne

      Once again, you have nailed it Eric. A firm foundation (in the Lord) works for anyone who applies it. You are a blessing. God Bless

      Reply
    10. netanel

      Wow,
      thanks, this is was far more connecting the pazzles more than alot of gurus like tony robbins and brian tracy have.

      That’s was short and sweet, and I’ve made sustain memorials of key points that I’ve found that’ll stick with me for the rest of my life and I’ll keep looking at them from time to time, that’s added to my Life system map that I’ve.

      Reply
    11. Neil

      Thanks Eric
      Another great lesson. When you spoke about being flexible and disciplined it reminded me of something a guy called Jonathan Zap (from Boulder, which I guess must be near to ou). He used to be a wilderness guide and he applied this experience as a metaphor for life. He says that failure can arise by ‘mistaking the terrain for the map’ and he advocated keeping the major landmarks (the goals) in mind when the vision is obscured to keep you on track. I think this is a really good analogy so thought I would mention it. One question, one of my issues is being comfortable in talking to people ‘offline’. I struggle to be articulate which is very frustrating. I’m reading ‘How to win friends…’ and have already picked up ome valuable tips but I wonder if you can suggest any other resources.

      Reply
    12. James

      Discipline is something I need to work on, as I grow older I really do see the necessity to wright things down mostly because i can’t remember as good as i use to. This has helped me with my discipline. Eric, Thanks again for your time. James

      Reply
    13. D. Porter

      Eric,that was an awesome lesson. My main problem in life was that I was never committed. Always starting something and NEVER finishing. distractions. I truly saw myself for who I truely was-an uncommitted person with no goals, no set priorities. thanks

      Reply
    14. Rema

      Hi Eric, I am feeling very good after a very informative lesson about commitment,diligence and discipline. It was like attending a real classroom session with a very committed teacher handling a very important topic after which I have become more determined than before to march forward towards my only vision…to be a successful Internet Marketer.Thanks a million. Hats off to the great work you are doing!!!!

      Reply
    15. Sandy

      Eric, Your Tips are the highlight of my morning. I start my day, first learning something new about Internet Marketing and business in general. S

      Reply
    16. dawn

      thank you for your lessons they are very helpful to me. I am new to all this internet marketing and i am learning new things everyday. Im getting a little further everyday with your help. I dont know where i would be if it wasnt for you.

      Reply
    17. Ria Smith

      Dear Eric,
      It has taken me this long to realize, I am in a remarkable position, I am able to get advice how to run my Hairdressing Salon, I am able to take everything you taught and apply each principle to my life, and I Thank You So Very Much, you have given me hope and I am grateful I look forward to learning more from you because what you say makes an awful lot of sense, Ria Smith from Auckland New Zealand

      Reply
    18. James

      Hi Eric!
      With all due respect, I believe you are real and it seems that a growing number of others are following your methods of preaching internet marketing business with a sense of patience as well. I do hope they do not use any trojan & spyware to grap our sensitive personal information in our hardware as their long-winded lessons go by. The Windows Live has advised us below:

      Dear Hotmail User,

      As a valued Hotmail® user, we strive to protect you from spam messages by blocking over 4.5 billion worldwide per day. We have a highly qualified and dedicated team that constantly strives to reduce and eradicate spam from Hotmail inboxes.

      Recently, we have received an increasing number of e-mails from customers asking about the legitimacy of e-mails they have received. We’ve created this e-mail to help all Hotmail users recognise the scam e-mails that do sneak by our filters.

      1) Be wary of e-mails asking for your personal information.

      Any e-mail asking for your name, birth date, e-mail username, e-mail password, or any other type of personal information, no matter who the e-mail appears to be from, is almost certainly a scam.

      If you have any reason to believe it may be legitimate, do not reply to the e-mail or click any hyperlinks; instead copy and paste the web URL or go to that company’s website for contact information. Don’t hesitate to contact the company’s support channel to confirm legitimacy.

      2) Carefully read e-mails that appear suspicious.

      E-mails that are poorly worded, have typos, or have phrases such as “this is not a joke” or “forward this message to your friends” are generally scam e-mails. Sometimes company names or brands are misspelled or inaccurate; such as saying Windows Hotmail (instead of Windows Live™ Hotmail).

      3) Protect your Hotmail password.

      Create a strong password for your Hotmail account by using more than 7 characters and having a combination of upper and lower case characters, numbers, and special characters, like the @ or # symbols. It’s also a good idea to change your password on a regular basis. Learn More.

      If you receive a notification from Microsoft Customer Support confirming your request to change your password, as I did this past week, and you haven’t recently changed your password, that’s a signal that someone else may be trying to gain access to your Hotmail account, and you should immediately change your password. To do so, either go to http://account.live.com, or within Hotmail, click Options, then View and Edit your Personal Information. You will be prompted to log in again. Once you do, look for “Password reset information” under your name at the top. Change both your password and your Secret Question/Secret Answer as both may have been compromised.

      4) Take action!

      If you think someone has accessed your Hotmail account, that the Windows Live ID sign-in page looks fraudulent, or you receive a suspicious e-mail that tries to confirm a password change you didn’t authorise, change your password immediately via the instructions above, or go to: http://account.live.com.

      5) Help us identify new scams.

      If you’re using the Full version of Hotmail, you can select the dropdown next to “Junk”, then select “Report phishing scam”. Whatever you do, do not reply back to the sender.

      You can read more about this topic here.

      We encourage you to keep this e-mail for future reference on what to do if you do receive a scam e-mail so that you can help keep your inbox more safe and secure.

      Sincerely,

      Windows Live Hotmail Team

      *Phishing – Defined as the practice of luring unsuspecting people to a fake website by using authentic-looking e-mail, sometimes even using the real organization’s logo, in an attempt to steal your valuable personal data, such as credit card numbers, passwords, account data, or other information.

      Reply
    19. James

      Be wary of April Fool the first today because another updated powerful virus is out to attack us once again.

      Reply
    20. Wendy Hollett

      Thanks and KUDOS – Your previous work experience is REALLY showing through. Thanks to these lessons – yes, I am catching up – 1 lesson at a time – I have let former website and domains expire. You are putting me on the RIGHT course and one that will be sustainable!! You have quite a knack to tie the information together in a FUn way. Doesn’t seem like work since I guess the passion is there!! THANKS and looking forward to more… I don’t want to get ahead of myself and take the steady course as the wind blows. Wendy

      Reply
    21. RUDOLF HENRIQUEZ

      ERIC, ERIC!
      IT’S GETTING TOUGH!
      I COMMIT TO STICK TO THE LESSONS!
      THE ENTIRE CESSIONS!
      ONCE WE START ON THE “FESICAL” PART I COMMIT TO GET UP AT 6AM LIKE I USE TO DO FOR MY FORMAL BOSS! BREAK AT 12AM AND START AT 2PM AND LEAVE AT 6PM!
      I COMMIT TO KEEP PUTTING GOD FIRST, MY FAMILY AND THAN MY BUSINESS!
      I HAD A STUPID RECORD OF UNFINNISH THINGS!
      AN OLD CAR, NEVER PUT ON THE ROAD!
      AN OLD BOAT NEVER PUT AT SEA!
      A KAYAK I DID NOT FINISH!
      MY OWN HOUSE I NEVER PAINTED FROM THE OUTSIDE!
      MANY PROJECT I COULD NOT REALISE!
      ERIC I WILL SAY THANK YOU FOR ADDRESSING THOSE WORDS TO ME, I KNOW THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE ONLINE WITH THESE LESSONS, BUT I TAKE THEM PERSONALY! VERY PERSONALY!
      IN PAST, UNTILL TODAY I WAS USING MY FAITH ONLY TOWARDS DEVINE MATTERS, FEARING TO BECOME OR GET CALL MATERIALISTIC, I WAS WRONG!
      OK ERIC ITS 11:50 PM NOW, NEED TO REST!
      OH, SPEAKING OF BEING SO LATE UP, IS THIS THE SO CALLED “SACRIFICE”?…..YEAH!
      BYE ERIC, THANK FOR YOUR KINDNESS AND COMFORTING WORDS!

      Reply
    22. ayiee

      Action is still the best motivation, Like you said, keep moving forward no matter what. A lot of time, we are facing upphill task and think we need a rest, but the rest required more energy to restart on where we stop. Take a rest if you must, but don’t stop moving.

      Reply
    23. Anna

      Hi Eric, right on again on this one! One of the habits I started to acquire is to go through your lesson each day as they come into my inbox. I’ve also written down my vision, goals, and plans and they are all pasted in my living room wall! I found out that listening to what the gurus are saying and actually putting them into ACTION is really what will get me to where I want to be. I have yet to make money on the internet but I know that if I keep moving at this pace, I see the rewards of my hard work pretty soon.

      Thanks again for having this course available to everyone.

      Reply
    24. oved hassif

      very good lesson came exactily on time i live in israel and your lesson are great for me

      Reply
    25. Robert fenn

      Eric,

      Truly appropriate to many newbies as well as for people who have been trying for many years to succeed on the net.

      I look forward to your lessons everyday.

      Thank you for taking the time to do it.

      Robert

      Reply
    26. Chuck

      Just curious, does this ever get down to actually learning anything? I have gone through 17 lessons and still do not have a clue, but I sure feel good about myself.
      Where is the meat?

      Reply
    27. Eric Post author

      It’s easy to find tips and strategies, but I’ve found that most sources of internet marketing education fail to cover the basics of business building, and that’s a big part of why so many people fail. So I think its important to cover this philisophical stuff before we get to the technical stuff. So IMO, this is the meat. But you’ll get to the technical nitty gritty stuff soon 🙂

      Reply
    28. Craig

      I agree with Eric, I know nothing about building a business. The last couple of lessons have been extreamly helpful in getting me prepared. You NEED a strong base for any of lifes endevors.

      Thanks Eric

      Reply
    29. Louise Cox

      Eric,

      I have some comments as well as my action steps….

      Marriage is like so many other things in life — you get out of it what you are willing to put into it. A good marriage (something I am still striving for) does not just happen — it takes WORK! Sometimes, the frustrations between husband and wife are best solved by putting a little distance between you. My husband and I are both home day in and day out and sometimes that is too much togetherness. When we are not on the same channel, I let him handle his things his way and I handle mine. I don’t analyze it, but we tend to end up on common ground.

      There are two types of fear that can cripple achievement: the fear of failure and the fear of success.

      As to your method of teaching these lessons, which I think is wonderful; you are building the business owner as well as the business. If the owner does not have a firm leg to stand on, the business will topple.

      My action plans:
      1. My commitment to my vision:

      I, Louise Cox, commit to applying Eric’s Tips to create a successful Internet business that is supported by my vision of financial freedom. I commit to continue living my life in accordance with fairness, integrity and Christian values. I commit to completing each project in a timely, professional and proficient manner. When I do not have a project in the works (which can happen with the design field), I commit to concentrating my efforts on increasing my on-line and community presence, I commit to taking such risks as are necessary to grow my business. It is my goal to earn $20K by December 31, 2009, and will work as steadfastly as necessary to make it happen.
      signed: Louise Cox on 21 June 2009

      2) Priorities:
      A. Finish school, graduating with honors
      B. Enjoying life with my husband, my son and his partner
      C. My church, further prioritized: – 1) attending Sunday services regularly; 2) devotion to my music ministry; 3) attending Wednesday evening services; 4) being active in women’s group; 5) commitment to tithing and offerings (sowing seed as it appears)
      D. Building and running my business
      E. Home maintenance/improvement/organization (hiring professionals when necessary)
      F. Self-improvement
      G. Hobbies

      3. Habits I would like to develop:
      A. Exercise
      B. Pampering myself to improve appearance
      C. Keeping things organized
      D. Belief in self as Righteous and worthy of God’s love and peace

      Louise

      Reply
    30. Scott Gorczyca

      First the vision, now the commitment. I definitely agree with this. I finished a college degree a couople of years ago. If I bring that same commitment to the business, then I know I won’t quit.

      Reply
    31. John Bandy

      Hi Eric,
      Great lesson and uplifting message. Thanks I needed that. Sometimes it is easy to lose our vision and give up. We need to know anything worth having is worth fighting for. Thanks and I look forward to the next lesson.

      Reply
    32. Doug

      Eric.. I made a major decision along with my wife to relocate to California to be with our grandchildren, one who has been seriously ill.. My wife and I committed to do whatever we can to help them and support them. In the process, I came to California blindly, not having a job, and considering the economic downturn, an uncertain future.. For that reason, I have committed myself to following through with this online business and following your lessons to the best of my ability…I’m fighting to provide for my family, and so my commitment is as much for them as it is me…

      Reply
    33. Danny W

      Hi Eric,
      Your tips are really helpful. Talking about commitment, that’s where I lost out.Your lessons would definitely strengthen me on this. Thank alot.

      Reply
    34. Prince Samulesl

      Great lesson always. The problem sometime is not about writing a vision down, but staying committed to. I know what to do now. I need to develop a motivational factor or discipline toward my goals.
      Thanks Eric always good work.

      Reply
    35. Peggy

      Hey Louise:

      I love your detailed list of commitment. You are going to be one busy lady. You go girl. Please keep us informed as to how you long list of focus and commitment progresses. We should all pay attention to your level of dedication. Thanks for the wonderful, inspiring post.

      Respectfully,

      Peggy
      theplainandsimplegirl

      Reply
    36. Gordon

      Hi Eric
      I have been listening to your instructions each night or day and it seems very interesting in what you have explained, I have been paying alot attention to your point and intend to proceed in my future.

      Sincerely
      Gordon

      Reply
    37. robert

      i’m still hanging in i love these lessons they reaffirm my outlook on life.your right to be giving us these reminders most are aware of them but we don’t seem to take the time to do anything about them.too many times in my life i would put the cart in front of the horse then wonder why it wouldn’t move.thru your lessons i’m learning to put the horse in front of the cart.maybe now i’ll get somewhere thanks for a another great life lesson.

      Reply
    38. Claudia

      Hi Eric, I got a lot out of this lesson…I have been uncertain about commiting to my vision especially when my family didn’t approve of me setting out to start my own company.
      But…this lesson made me realize that I can only achive what I want by believing that it is possible and that it’s OK for me to have visions.

      Reply
    39. Dot

      Thanks Eric for the good advice that you did in this lesson. I will make new habits of saving my time for more work on these tips. They have been very good. I want to learn more about making blogs and how to advertise my website.

      Reply
    40. Barry

      Hello Eric,

      A great foundation that you are laying down for myself and your subscribers Eric. I look forward to opening up all the time Erics Tips movies and I save them in my Realplayer library. I admit that I am over anxous to get started , and to implement all the knowledge and tools available to succeed. I feel like a race horse contained in the starting gate just waiting for that gun to fire. I am very lucky to have found your site Eric and I say this with sincerety. You are giving your time and knowledge to help people out there, you are paying it forward and you are making friends on line. Thank You Barry Charles Anderson

      Reply
    41. Helen

      hello to you,

      im a bit late in catching up with your videos i have them in my folder in my emails,i have been busy, i took the step and made my own website, whit woo !!!! i have done really well, and im at the stage where i am adding affilliates,

      wanting to transfer the website which was free, and take it to my hosting company to get it ready and published and to put online,

      this was my first real time i have done this, i have affiliate companies set up , and im adding links, its a bit messy and i have looked and looked

      for information that i can understand, i have written no ends of times to my hosting company for help, in which they did send what they had to, to help me in

      my quest, but i struggle with the marketing terms and set ups, i read and read and i find it so confusing,

      I really am trying to learn but just end up getting pickled, Arrhhh !!!!!! just to let you know im still following you, and i hope you visit my site once finished,

      be happy and keep a smile …..

      Reply
    42. Helen

      Oh and befoe go, making this website HAS opened other door, hopefully i will bemore educated for the second site, iwant you to be proud,

      Reply
    43. Roy

      thanks Eric for another great lesson: would u reply on my remark and question at end of lesson 16. thz

      Reply
    44. Tahir Mansoor

      Hi Eric
      Thanks for your lessons.
      The problem I am facing is that I have clear vision but my hype cycle is tooo high and too low on the contrary. I am moralized full or energy at one time but again demoralized at some other instance. The part of world we are living is too uncertain and full of fear BUT we have to SURVIVE ………. AND ONLINE BUSINESS IS THE ONNLY KEY OF SURVIVAL. I have started online business, opened an ONLINE BOUTIQUE SHOP, me and wife we are running it http://www.fashno.com BUT we want to grab other ONLINE opportunities as IT IS REQUIRED for our SURVIVAL rather WE ARE FORCED TO DO IT. NEED YOUR HELP ERIC ,….. U R A GREAT MAN ….. or ANGEL rather 🙂

      Reply

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