What’s Your Commitment ?

A mentee recently reached out to me with a business plan that he was pursuing. He was looking for some validation from me. “Can you please look at my business plan and let me know what you think?” he said, opening his laptop to show me the plan.

He was very eager- “This plan has taken me six months to prepare- I have spoken with many people, tracked multiple other business models, and I feel there is a clear opportunity that I could go after.”

Instead of getting into evaluating the plan, I closed the laptop and asked him a pointed question- “On a scale of one to ten, how desperate are you to make this plan a reality? Take a couple of minutes and give yourself and me an honest answer!!”

My young friend did not expect this response from my side. However, I could see he was really grappling with what would be an honest response. Finally, after what seemed like a long time, he blurted out, ” five to six- I think !!”

I gave him my feedback- “If your answer were a nine or a ten, sooner or later, you would make this business plan of yours a reality. I know you will succeed. But if you are giving yourself a five or six, I sense you are not ready for this move yet.”

We parted ways soon after, and I felt terrible as I drove back home. ” Did I just pour a bucket of water over his dreams?” I wondered.

A couple of days later, I received a call from my young friend- ” Thank you, Pramod, for putting a mirror in front of me. Your question forced me to question my own motivation. I was dabbling with the idea, but to be honest, I don’t think I am ready.”

When considering pursuing anything in a career, undertaking a new project, or taking on a new challenge, it’s always advisable to validate your commitment.

What does it take to build a plan that I want to achieve with all my conviction, unwilling to compromise, ready to handle any challenge – operating with a nine or a ten for motivation and commitment?

When you commit 100% to a plan, you are making a committed decision. When you fully commit to any decision or plan, the world will give way to what you want- You discover opportunities, solve problems, conceive ideas, and attract a different level of engagement from people around you.

Everyone should ask themselves if they are approaching those areas in their lives that are important and meaningful with a nine or ten of conviction and commitment. Sometimes, it’s just as simple as that.