Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Resolution VS. Commitment

As 2014 comes to a close we're are looking back at the last 12 months. What was this year about? What did you say you would do? What did you actually do? What were your successes? And what were your biggest challenges?

It's this day of the year that millions of people decide to create "resolutions" for the next 365 days/52 weeks/12 months. Quite honestly I have never been into resolutions, they kind of seem like bullshit to me. The actual definition of a resolution is not what everybody thinks it is:

A res-o-lu-tion  noun: The act of finding an answer or solution to a conflict, problem, etc.: the act of resolving something: an answer or solution to something:

Our version of a New Year's resolution is a secular tradition in which a person makes a promise to do an act of self improvement that they will carry out for that year.

The problem I have found with creating these "promises" is that we often end up disappointed in ourselves when we cannot keep them. 365 days is a very long time to commit to a drastic change you made overnight. Human change does not come from a promise we make to ourselves because we think we should be better than we were yesterday; Human change comes from the guts of creating a commitment, and a vision to carry it through.

If we actually were making a resolution, we would be in the act of resolving the problem that stands in the way of being who or where we want to be. Be in ownership of creating the steps between who you currently are and being a healthy person, being someone who makes more money, being someone who spends more time with family, being someone who does everything/anything it takes to have the life you want.

So if you are in fact going to be making resolutions you are passionate about, ask yourself: are they "it would be nice if..." promises, or actual commitments? Is 2015 your year? How committed are you making that happen? How do you know if you are committed?

Your are committed if:

  • You have a clear vision of what it is you want
  • You are ready to do hard work in order to get what you want
  • Obstacles along the way do not stop you, they prompt you to find another road on the map
  • When you get stuck, you find support
  • You are willing to be vulnerable (yes you may actually cry a little bit)
  • You are willing to take risks
  • You are willing to be uncomfortable, be judged, and...some people may not like this... committed to you.
  • You are ready to be fully responsible for making it happen - No one else, YOU
  • You understand that you may fall on your face, and that is okay
  • You are okay with not doing it perfectly, because the only way to do it with perfection is to do it shitty first...
  • You may not know how, but you're committed to having it happen anyway, no matter what

You are not committed if:

  • You have no vision as to where you see yourself
  • You make a promise because someone else thinks you should, not because it's important to you
  • The first moment it gets hard you give up
  • THE FIRST MOMENT IT GETS HARD YOU GIVE UP
  • You give yourself back doors like saying "I'll try", "I'll see what happens ", "I hope"
  • You base your success on what others do or don't do, say or don't say
  • You allow time, money, knowledge, experience, (fill in the blank), be your excuse as to why you cannot stay committed
  • You are unwilling to be vulnerable, be wrong, fall on your face, look bad, be judged, or do the work
  • You resist making a plan that will guide you
  • You are not willing to find another way if the plan you made doesn't work out
  • Reading this makes you feel guilty rather than motivated

In the end my friends, hard work, drive, and seeking support is the formula to defeating what you think is overwhelming and impossible. Words must be followed with integrity and action because you are worth it. Stay committed, and keep company with those who will push you, and be honest with you. Things may take longer than you want them to but hold your seat and stay focused on the goal, and you will get there...don't give up!

I and The Body of Artists salutes you, wishes you prosperity, passion, and commitment in 2015. We will be here creating some crazy shit in this upcoming year! I hope you will join us


Please enjoy some of the things that inspired me during 2014:



DEFEAT THE ODDS WITH BLIND PASSION
(Sargy Mann's paintings regularly selling for upward of £50,000 (US$80,000).


FORGET WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT DISABILITY
(make society's stigma, into society's desire)

NEVER GIVE UP!
(you might cry, but will have no excuse after this one)

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