Hardiness

CHAPTER 3Building Commitment

“It’s not enough to have lived. We should be determined to live for something.”

—Winston S. Churchill (British politician and prime minister)

Thinking about commitment may seem a long way off from dealing with all of the stresses—large and small—that you encounter. You may not see any clear connection between what seems like contemplating life and the rigors of your day-to-day activities. Think of it the same way a boxer might approach lifting weights in the gym. The exercise gym is removed from the actual boxing match in time and space, but preparation in advance is a necessary part of being a successful fighter. In the same way, there are exercises you can do to build up your commitment to help protect yourself from some of the negative aspects of stress.

Commitment is all about active involvement and engagement in your activities and the surrounding world, as well as a sense of competence and self-worth. At the opposite pole of commitment is alienation, or meaninglessness. Considering this, let’s start looking at some steps to help build up hardiness-commitment.

Take Time to Think About What Is Important and Interesting to You

Most of us have busy lives. We’re consumed with our daily activities—and messages on our smartphones. How often do we stop to take a breath and think about our lives? Do we really know what matters to us? Do you know what you’re committed to? We all have values at some level that we base many of our decisions in life ...