By Dr. David Jackson

Congratulations! If you are reading this article, you made it to another year, 2013. For many the most popular question to be addressed will be: What resolutions have you made? Some will make resolutions to lose weight, to save more money, or to stop smoking. Unfortunately, as days rapidly go by and life begins to unfold, many find that resolutions can’t be maintained and they slip back in to old habits. It’s always amusing to watch people who come to the gym with their new attire during the first of the year and you never see them after January. To increase the odds of obtaining your desired end, commitments need to be considered. Management guru Peter Drucker says, “Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes; but no plans.” Effective leaders and other successful people make commitments that are never broken until their objectives are achieved. Think for a moment about a person or a leader that you admire. The one characteristic that will be present is commitment. These are the individuals who can remain on task, never waver, and maintain absolute focus until a task or objective is accomplished. On a scale of accomplishment versus failure, individuals who are committed will always accomplish more than individuals who resolve to do something. For a better perspective on commitment, consider the classic riddle, in a bacon and egg breakfast, what’s the difference between the chicken and the pig? The answer, the chicken is involved, and the pig is committed. When you make resolutions, you are somewhat involved; however, when you make a commitment, you do whatever it takes, even making critical sacrifices, to achieve an objective.

What does resolution or commitment mean for Selma? Individually, if you want to distinguish yourself from talkers and align yourself with doers, commitments will not only help you but will also help those around you. As a community, to insure that Selma will be a better place to live in 2013, citizens must be committed to change. Think about what would happen if every day everyone in Selma committed to saying a kind word to a stranger, to smiling, to volunteering to read to a young person, to assist an elderly person, or to pick up a piece of litter. A commitment to random act of kindness will make a significant difference in this town.