That little knife on the road

2009 is drawing to an end. A new list of resolutions will encapsulate those who plan for the new year; I am no exception. In fact, I am planning for each new day, week, month. etc. For any resolution-builder, I hope that you spend more time thinking about each 'to do' item than your holiday plans. It is amazing how many people spend more time detailing their holidays rather than what they should achieve for the whole year. I am also guilty of this - I try to lessen it each year. I argue that the most important ingredient is not the list but the righteousness or commitment to make it right.

Fact: If righteousness is not in it, it is actually not worth putting it in. We know we want each resolution to be right because we are going to be tested for it: A commitment that this is the right thing to do.

Let me explain by telling the story of a little knife lying on the road last Saturday morning. It is a fruit knife that was dropped by one of the passing vehicles. It stayed harmlessly on the road, 10 meters away from where I was sitting at the bus stop. The possibilities of this little blade doing damage was real. It could have flown into somebody's face from a passing vehicle, or it could have punctured a car tyre and sent cars into accident spirals, etc.

If I chose to ignore it, it would have stayed there until something happens. If anything would have happened at all, God knows. The light turned red for the oncoming traffic before I picked the blade up and threw it into the dustbin. Did I do the right thing? Maybe. But my purpose on wanting to do the right thing was certainly within me, and I am tested my commitment that very moment.

Example: If you want to be more charitable in 2010, your mind will automatically seek the moments where charity encounters are present. Just like when you commit to see more of the colour red, your subconscious mind will automatically seek them for you. You will see more red.

Your resolution item, whatever it may be, is not entirely important. Why? It may change, deviate or be taken away. And the best is that you can write a new one if you want to. However, the commitment behind it is so much more important: Have the skills to self manage and self correct. The discipline to make the decisions each day to get closer to each goal. Only if you make the commitment to do that, then your list becomes an absolute possibility.

The same goes for brands and tribes that you made a commitment to, collectively by themselves or to their customers. They too will face a time where their values will be tested - a knife on the road moment. This begs the question: will you pass the test?

Please leave your comments, if any.