People are like Play-Doh — they come in many colors and can be molded into just about anything imaginable. But people, like Play-Doh, have limitations. Just as Play-Doh can’t expand infinitely to be molded into an unlimited number of creations, people can’t divide themselves among an unlimited number of projects. Just as Play-Doh can only be split so many times, people can only be stretched so thin. Beyond this point, their level of commitment to each project will suffer.

Enough time management books have been written to fill many libraries. Fortunately for you, this article isn’t about time management. I only mention the concept because many personal development gurus try to equate commitment with how much time someone spends on a given endeavor. The common suggestion, in a nutshell, is to prioritize our activities based on a number of factors — for example, their time requirements and relative importance — and “get them done” in that order.

Time management falls flat when we hit that “relative importance” factor. Why should we be asked to divide our time between a “most important” project and some “less important” projects? Why not pour all of our resources into #1? It certainly may be true that multiple projects lie at the top of our lists. But when the average American watches 28 hours of TV each week (source), more than some Americans spend at their part-time jobs, that presupposition becomes harder to justify. I think the real problem lies in that we don’t know what’s most important to us.

How might we explain the case of Bob Slob, who spends 28 hours in front of the TV and 25 hours at his desk every week? Surely, Bob realizes that going to work (unless it’s a job he despises) will benefit him and his family more in the long term than will, say, watching yet another Seinfeld rerun… that is, if he thinks about it. Bob probably doesn’t use any sort of time management system, but even if he does, what’s stopping him from listening to his habits and making TV his first priority? Is Bob committed to his life? Our level of commitment to any pursuit involves more than just a time donation. Commitment must involve a desire, something which can’t be measured in hours or days.

Commitment is a combination of time management and passion.

Most people will say that the best level of commitment depends on the person, the project, and other wishy-washy factors like that. Well, I’m the creator of Don’tASQ, and I disagree. Contrary to the popular notion of multitasking, I believe that we do our best works and enjoy the greatest fulfillment when we pick one aspiration and put everything into it — both short-term and long-term. (Important aside: When you were a child, your parents may have said to you, “Do as I say and not as I do.” I must admit that I am the worst example when it comes to multitasking… but I still don’t recommend it!) The pinnacle of our strength will be realized only when we have fully committed ourself to the undertaking of our greatest passion. That is, when we’re spending 100% of our time on the one thing that we love most — no matter what it is.

Obviously, we can’t easily ignore the basics of health and hygiene. But you’re never going to be able to enjoy a career in Hollywood if you starve to death, and it will be pretty hard to meet the man or woman of your dreams if you smell like a landfill. In other words… those things are directly related to your passion! Suddenly, brushing your teeth sounds so much more fun, doesn’t it?

Maybe your passion is to make loads of money. Maybe your passion is to live to meet your great-grandchildren. Maybe your passion is to find God and do whatever he tells you. Maybe you have multiple passions — in that case, try to combine them into one. (You can read my mission statement for an idea of how I’m doing this.) Or maybe you don’t know what your passion is, in which case I’d love to help you figure it out. Maybe that will be in a future article… But whatever your passion, whatever your dream, whatever the #1 item on your lifetime to-do list, give it your all.

When Mother Teresa assisted and ministered to the poor, she gave it her all. When Albert Einstein developed his theory of relativity, he gave it his all. When your five-year-old daughter draws a picture, she gives it her all (even if only for a few minutes). You don’t have to be talented or famous to give it your all.

How is Seinfeld going to make you millions? What is World of Warcraft going to do for your family? When was the last time an alcoholic won an Olympic gold medal? These are the types of questions we should all be asking ourselves… every single day. Seeing our dreams come to fruition requires us to be 100% committed to them — not 99%. Unless, of course, your dream is to live a dull and mediocre life.

How committed are you?

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