Making and Keeping Commitments

For once in my life, I'm doing it.

I'm doing something that I thought I couldn't do.

All of my life, I have struggled to make and keep commitments, but I'm doing it!

I want to stand on the rooftops of the world and shout, “Guys! I'm doing it! You can too!”

I've never struggled to make and keep commitments which I believed I could do. No matter how large. Practice wrestling 5 hours a day and skip meals to make weight while balancing school, family, and church responsibilities, meh. Big deal. I could do that, because I believed it. That commitment to excellence wasn't difficult for me to keep. I did it because I believed.

This year I took something on which I thought I could never complete. I was in my Journalism class one day, and we were talking about some thing or another, and the topic of Elevation came up. And I, being who I am, had a brilliant idea. So I raised my hand, and I said, “Hey! If we send a photographer to Elevation every year, why don't we send a journalist too?” and my mentor was like, “Hey! That's a great idea! Would you be interested in filling that role?” I said yes. But what I didn't realize in the moment was what I was getting myself into. As this idea started to develop and grow, so did my doubts. And by the time I was leaving for Elevation, I wanted almost anything but to be the Journalist. I felt like I had no clue what to do. I didn't think I could meet the demands. At the last minute there was a situation where they needed a new photographer, and I was on my end like “HEY! OVER HERE! I HAVE A NICE CAMERA AND I TAKE GOOD PICTURES, PLEASE PICK ME!”

But it wasn't to be. So I went as the journalist, did my thing. It was cool. But the whole time I was thinking, 'I may be able to gather this information, but how in the world am I going to put all of it together? And like... I don't think I'll make my deadlines, or have enough content, or write well enough. This was stupid.'

So I went home really believing that I would not finish my role as a journalist. That I would fail that Elevation grade and let everyone down because I didn't complete it. And, to be honest, I was okay with that. Inside I wanted to fail so that I could have an excuse for the rest of life. I wanted my life to be easier. To have another excuse to be less than extraordinary. But my deadlines were set, and I had an idea for an article that I really happened to like, and all of a sudden I made my first deadline. But more than that, I did really well. I turned in a well written article on time and with a good attitude. And my perspective changed from, 'I can't do this' to 'Hey, maybe this is possible' in an instant. So I did some more work, and just happened to make my second deadline. And guess what? I did a really good job. So my confidence started to rise. And I started to think, 'Hey, this isn't so bad after all. And you know what, Dallin? You feel really accomplished right now. You did something hard. Kudos, bro. Good job.' (Thought addressed to me because I talk to myself all the time. :D ) Last night I turned in my third article. And now I know. I can do hard things.

I can make and keep commitments.

Hm. Well that's neat. :D

At the school I attend, Williamsburg Academy, leadership is defined as making and keeping commitments. 

Maybe I really can be a leader.