Todays countless options make the act of commitment harder than ever. Pete Davis argues that committing deeply to a particular thing is a more fulfilling path. We want to keep our options open, and yet we yearn for the purpose, community, and depth that can only come from making deep commitments.

CHECK IT OUT:

GOODREADS | AMAZON

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

• Death controls the length of our days. But we control the depth of our days. Commitment is about choosing to pursue—in the face of our limited length—boundless depth.

• Com-means “with” and pan-means “bread,” a companion is “one who breaks bread with another.

• We should focus less on making the right decisions, and more on making sure our decisions turn out right.

• “The line of progress is never straight. For a period a movement may follow a straight line and then it encounters obstacles and the path bends. It is like curving around a mountain when you are approaching a city. Often if feels as though you were moving backwards, and you lose sight of your goal: but in fact you are moving ahead, and soon you will see the city again, closer by.” -MLK

• The most important simplicity that committed people can cultivate is the simplicity of trusting one’s inner voice rather than being pushed around by the opinions of others.

• Gardening is a great metaphor for commitment. When we plant a garden, we dedicate ourselves to doing a lot of work without immediate gratification—all with hope in some beautiful bounty that may (or may not) emerge at some point in the future.

LEAVE A COMMENT with your favorite takeaway!