“Commitment separates those who live their dreams from those who live
their lives regretting the opportunities they have squandered.”– Bill Russell
“I could have been” are the absolute worst four words to say.
“I could have been an Olympian.” If you didn’t make it due to injury is one thing, but if you didn’t achieve the dream because of lack of effort it is a totally different and worse thing.
“I could have gotten my degree.” But if you didn’t, you will always doubt.
“I could have been a better spouse.” Divorces are expensive, and are among the most graphic examples of squandering your chance to build a beautiful life. Same thing with “I could have been a better parent.”
Regret sucks. It’s always better to regret going too hard, caring too much, pushing yourself too far than to have not done all that you could have, because that will gnaw at your soul.
If you commit to the daily effort, the every day activities even when you hate them and would rather be slacking off and enjoying, you will achieve more than the gifted that sporadically exert themselves do. Consistency and persistency carry people further than natural talent every day in every field of endeavor.
Commitment is not convenient. It is doing what you agreed to (whether to a coach, teammates, partner, or self) when you don’t want to, when there are more fun short term attractive distractions than the systematic consistent small sacrifices needed to achieve dreams.
Do what is right instead of what feels good right now.