If you’re like me, either you have already got a list of goals and a general idea how to reach those goals, or you are ready to set some great goals for 2012. Goal setting is fun. Creative. Futuristic. I’m a firm believer in goal setting. That being said, goals are worthless haunts of what might have been unless you take another step: commit to them.

I didn’t totally understand what commitment meant until I studied the B52 Bomber. It’s a remarkable military aircraft, with capabilities that would astound you. But it’s also a very heavy plane, with a cumbersome takeoff weight of 448,000 pounds. That’s a lot to try to get off the ground!

As the bomber accelerates down the runway, one of the crewmen in the cockpit must tell the pilots when they reach the point where they must either get that plane off the ground or abort. Otherwise the plane will crash at the end of the runway. The crew member does this by shouting, “committed”. You can bet that every person on board that aircraft is fully dedicated to reaching their goal of flying that bird.

This month I’m going to help you with that commitment. It’s not a dirty word or a frightening monster. In fact, here are some facts about commitment:

1) It gives you a purpose to get out of bed in the morning. You must honor that which you committed to.

2) Commitment breeds creativity. It actually unlocks your mind to discover all sorts of ideas that were hidden in there.

3) It improves your confidence. There is nothing that will boost your confidence and self esteem than committing to your goals and moving toward the finish line, one task at a time.

You owe it to yourself, and a reading public, to commit to living your dream. Here are just a few reasons why:

1) Your dream is too important to remain unlived! Seriously. If you dared to dream it, it’s worth living!

2) You’ll be happier, healthier and much more productive. Committing to your goal actually releases good chemicals in your brain and body that promote health and increase energy.

3) It’s who you are, and there is no greater joy than to walk in your own identity! God did not make a mistake when He created you. It is really quite liberating when you walk out the dream you committed to.

4) It staves off temptation to be lazy and unproductive. We’re human. We like to lounge around eating popcorn while devouring Lisa Jordan’s great new book (Lakeside Reunion). The commitment keeps us on track and allows us to read that romance novel as a reward for our hard work!

Commitment really is your friend. You need it. It wants you. Will you be it’s friend?

So what will you commit to this year? To finish that manuscript? To go to a writer’s retreat? My Book Therapy’s Deep Thinker’s Retreat is a great one. It’s next month. You don’t want to miss it.

I’d love to hear about your commitments, and help you through that process if you need help. Email me confidentially at reba@mybooktherapy.com.

Please commit to coming back next week for the second part of the commitment journey!

Reba J. Hoffman is the MBT Member Care Coach. She has a PhD in clinical counseling and is the founder and president of New Hope Institute of Counseling. Reba uses her gift of encouragement to help writers overcome negative emotions so they can live their dream of being a writer. Her works appear in publications such as Running for the Woman’s Soul by Road Runner Sports and The Good Fight by Donna Hicken. She is the author of My Book Therapy’s Dare to Dream, a Writer’s Journal. Contact her at reba@mybooktherapy.com.