According to Webster’s Dictionary, "Art" and "Commitment" are defined as follows:

• Art: Skill acquired by experience, study or observation.

• Commitment: An agreement or pledge to do something in the future or something pledged.

Lately, I have been thinking a great deal about commitment. I have been noticing how my being committed to a goal is not necessarily enough to succeed. What is the difference to being committed in theory versus being committed in practice? And, what if we had to learn how to actually "commit"? In other words, is the act of committing really an art form that has to be acquired, studied, learned and then put into practice? Well… maybe it is!

So, let’s run with the premise that committing is an art form for the sake of this article and see how it plays out in your life as well as in mine.

While factors such as luck, hard work and skill often come into play, I believe that, many times, the difference between success and failure can simply come down to COMMITMENT. It sounds simple. But unless we truly learn how to commit (and then actually commit!) it is more difficult, if not impossible, to succeed.

I found the insight about the need to commit reassuring, because I realized that if the key thing I have to do to increase my chance of success is learn how to truly commit, I feel confident that I can master the skill of commitment if I make it an art. I am a strong believer in "the way you do one thing, is the way you do everything" mantra. So, it really does not matter what you decide to commit to. All that matters is that you train yourself in the art of commitment. I have a sneaky suspicion that fully engaging in this could have a HUGE impact on you and your life.

So, I have created a little exercise for you… (Surprise, Surprise!!!)

Pick one thing to commit to for 28 days. Remember it takes about 21 days to create a habit – I just added an extra week to cement it. You can pick anything you want, but really make sure that what you are picking is something that has been nagging at you for a while. Here are some suggestions:

1. Increase your water intake. Start with one glass first thing every morning when you wake up, before you drink anything else (including coffee!).

2. Make your bed every day. Not really a big deal, but you know if this annoys you.

3. Create an exercise plan. Put it on your calendar and stick to it, no matter what (unless you are sick, etc… – sniffles do not count as sick!).

4. Eat green vegetables every day, which is very easy this time of year. A delicious salad with lots of leafy greens, baby kale, arugula, will do it…

5. Go to bed earlier and get up earlier – this one can have a huge impact on productivity!

6. Plan your menu in advance so you always have healthy options available.

And so on and so forth. You can really pick ANYTHING that works for you and then commit to making it happen!!!!

Just so know, I am doing this right along with you. I recently started the 60 day Insanity Exercise program. It is a six day a week challenge, with a one day recovery. I am now into my second week. I have had to drag myself out of bed way earlier than normal (even after the night when my dog was scared during a lightening storm and I barely slept). It has not been easy. I have tried to fight it. But I really want to master the art of commitment right along with you (and obviously it inspired this article!).

It’s that simple. Imagine if you can master the art of commitment. Your life WILL be different. Your confidence will SOAR. And, you will know that once you commit to something, you know HOW to follow through easily.

I am SO excited to be doing this with you. I hope you are too!