So how do you stay committed to the dream – and keep your team committed too? 

First, learn to be honest with yourself about your current level of commitment. 

Think back to your last three great big ideas that did not come to fruition. 

Maybe it was a diet, perhaps, a relationship, or a business venture. 

What happened? 

Were you pumped about it in the beginning, but you got distracted, bored, or overwhelmed? 

Did you quit halfway through? Or did your interest slowly fizzle out?

By understanding our habits when it comes to commitment, we can keep ourselves from repeating those same mistakes again and again. 

Another way is to hire people whose commitment to the dream is as genuine as yours. 

Notice, we said hire – not develop. 

You can teach the skills needed to excel in a particular position, but you cannot teach engagement or commitment. 

Those characteristics come naturally when someone cares about the vision. Do not leave the future of your dream in the hands of people who are not dedicated to its growth.

To gauge your level of commitment, here are four questions to ask yourself this week: 

1. Is this business, this dream, something you are willing to pursue against all odds? 
2. Are you ready to put in the time and money to make it work? 
3. Is it the first thing on your mind when you wake up in the morning? 
4. Does it consume your thoughts, excite you, and inspire you to create in innovative new ways?