Make A Ten-Year Commitment

Think about the past 10 years of your life. It seems like just yesterday, doesn't it?

If you're quite young, like 20 or 18, you barely remember 10 years ago. It's as if you were born yesterday!

Ten years go by quite fast. Actually, life goes by pretty fast. Today, it's Summer. But before you know it, Fall would be here, then Winter. Spring would be around the corner, and then Summer would come again.

As I'm writing this, I'm thinking how the day is already half over!

Why am I talking about just 10 years? Because all of you have lived 10 years and could remember a few important events that happened during that time. Many of you haven't lived long enough to say 20 years ago. I can, though. Twenty years ago, I was a freshman in high school -- and yes, it makes you feel a bit old when you could start saying "20 years ago."

I know, it doesn't compared to saying 40 years ago!

All of you have experienced living 10 years and you know how quickly those years have gone. Now think about this: the next 10 years will come and go even quicker.

So, where would you be in the next 10 years? In 10 years, you could still be in your same situation.

I've mentioned before about a girl in college (about 14 years ago) who was very shy, very negative, and had no financial support from her parents. She had to drop out of school because she couldn't get any financial aid, and she had to find a job. It's as if she has been struggling with money ever since going to college.

Fast forward that to today: her situation barely changed. That was 14 years ago!

A lot could happen in 10 years...
 

• Two presidents are elected.
• You could get your Ph.D degree.
• You could have at least 5 children, one of which being old enough to start 5th grade.
• You could climb the ladder at your job.
• You could save a lot of money.
• You could get rich.
• You could visit all 7 continents and visit a multitude of countries.
• You could be a celebrity, a famous author, or have a very rewarding career.
• You could fluently speak AT LEAST one other language.

But then again, you could just do nothing for the next 10 years. When you look back after those 10 years have past, you'd be deeply depressed by how little things have changed with you.

The next 10 years of your life is determined by what you do NOW. Today. This second -- well, finish reading this article first, and then do something.

You see, we're so focused on what's going to happen NOW or tomorrow. But we don't think about what could happen in the next 10 years.

Once you've lived 10 more years, do you expect to be where you are now, or do you expect to be at a different place?

If you're contemplating starting a project that might take a while to complete, then start it NOW. You may think that it would take a long time to complete, but remember that 10 years go by quickly. If you start that project now, then within 10 years, you would be glad that you did start that project.

I think about planting a tree. I know that I won't see a full-size tree any time soon, especially since I'm planting from seed. But 10 years would go by quickly, and when it does, I would expect to see a giant tree that is giving me enough fruit to live on for the rest of my life.

I think about starting a business. I know that I won't have a booming business that would make me enough money to retire early on. But in 10 years, that business could be making me enough money to pass down to my children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

I think about losing weight or gaining more muscle. Neither would happen right away. But in 10 years, I could lose all of my excess fat, get ripped, look 10 years younger, lose all my health problems, and probably write a bestselling book telling you how I did it.

You see, you can't think about what would happen right away. You need to think about what would happen in 10 years. Because barely anything good happens right away. But all the good stuff happens after years of being consistent and progressive in your efforts.

Right now, make a 10-year commitment to something and stick with it for 10 years. I guarantee that something is going to happen in those 10 years as long as you're being consistent and progressive with your efforts. That means you're working on that commitment everyday for 10 years.

Ten years will go by and you would be excited that you've stuck with your goal.

• No longer look at schemes that promise gold in the next few hours.
• No longer look at schemes that promise you sunshine and rainbows in two days.
• No longer look at schemes that promise a land of milk and honey to be given you within 21 days.

Resolve in your heart to stick with a long-term commitment and to focus on that commitment. Remember that 10 years will be here tomorrow -- or so it would seem. Where do you want to be when those 10 years have been completed?