You will never keep and maintain a life-changing commitment unless you have a strong foundation. I am borrowing this idea from one of Jesus’ famous teachings. The concept is that if you build on a sure foundation, you will withstand the tempest that is thrown at you. You will be washed out to sea if you build on a weak foundation. Obviously, in the Christian ethos, that foundation is faith in the gospel or teachings of Jesus Christ. However, the concept is indeed worthy of consideration no matter what your religious persuasion is or is not.
In more ancient traditions, this concept of building upon a principle-centered life developed into an entire methodology that is impossible to translate well into English, or if it can be, I do not know the words. For example, in the Hindi tradition, there is a concept called Dharma, which is essentially this. Building your life around solid and ordered principles is the right way of living. This same word has become a way to represent all the teachings of Buddha. Whatever the etymology of the concept, the idea is clear enough. We must build upon a sure foundation, living a principled life centered on a moral code.
My interpretation has some of these ideas, but for the most part, it has become a reminder that if I do not take care of the basics – then I am doomed for failure. I can set out to achieve all sorts of greatness, but if my home life is in turmoil, then everything will come crashing down as the foundation erodes underneath me. Ignore your responsibilities at home to your peril if my lesson is my advice. I have seen a lousy marriage derail some of the most successful people on their path to fame and fortune. Without exception, when I spoke with these people, they admitted that they owned the problem; they were so focused on their ambition that they forgot to ensure their foundation at home.
The same applies to your physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. You can pretend that there is no such thing as spirituality, but the fact remains that we are an organic species, and because of this have a connection to nature and the creator. Call it whatever you want, but if you lead a vacant, soulless life, you will eventually pay the price. You will lose your way; you will become lost at sea and unable to see a path back home. Being connected spiritually to something strong is an essential life principle I have learned the hard way. When I was younger, I would have told you to seek the truth; that is the way. However, now that I am older, I take the stance – to set your anchor into something solid so that when the winds do come, you have not pulled away on some divergent path.
In terms of keeping a life-changing commitment, the winds will come. Not every day will be perfect, and your circumstances will undoubtedly have upheaval. Things will get thrown at you that you did not expect. My advice is to keep the foundation strong. Live by a moral code, keep family relationships intact, and connect spiritually with something meaningful. Do not do stupid things with your health and well-being, and you will find that as long as you keep the commitment, you will become strong because you are built on a sure foundation.
When keeping a commitment, remember that taking time off to spend time on the foundation is not only acceptable but required. You just simply cannot ignore your foundation. If you let that erode, then there will come a time when it will not be when you need it the most. So consider the time spent reinforcing your foundation as time well spent. This is why I take time off with family, connect with my wife regularly, attend church, read inspiring things, and always stay grounded with my health as best as possible.
