Several years ago, when Starbucks used to run quotes on their cups, I received this message on my cup one day:

The Way I See It #76: The irony of commitment is that it’s deeply liberating – in work, in play, in love. The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation. To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life.
~ Anne Morriss (Starbucks customer from NYC)

I love this quote! Especially the part about fear dressing up and parading around as rational hesitation. Being committed means you’ve chosen to show up for yourself and what you said you’d do. That includes your commitment to your partner, who is your business. As I’m sure you know, running a business is a lot of work. If you aren’t committed to what you’re doing in your business, you’re making life a lot harder on yourself than you need to. As Anne says, to commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life, and to your business.

Where are you not being committed? In what ways are you not showing up for yourself and your business? Small, subtle things can make a huge difference; if you’re 100% committed to what your business is all about, how does that mean you need to show up every day? Strong, courageous, willing? Does that mean you make that phone call, write that email, or prepare with care a presentation that you’ve been putting off or hesitating on? Are you letting rational hesitation — fear — run your day, or can you remind yourself that despite how you feel, you’re still willing? Can you remember that you made a big-picture commitment that you are now taking small-picture action on?

You, your life, and your business are in this together. The more commitment you bring in a big picture way, the more the day-to-day picture gets easier.