Quora user Jack Martin's father taught him the value of commitment, even if it came at a price.
Martin loved to play football for the high school team, but didn't like going to the frequent meetings, games, and early-morning practices. His dad always said the same thing: that he had made a commitment, and that he would stick to it.
Even in college, just when Martin thought he would have his freedom, his dad's words stayed with him. He writes:
"In my four years playing college football, I'm proud to say my attendance at meetings, practices, workouts and games was near 100% — only missing due to illness. Even without my dad there, his words 'You made a commitment, you're going' came to my mind every time I thought about skipping a lift, practice or a meeting.
Regardless of how tired I was, how much homework I had, what my friends were doing, I kept [my] commitment to football.
Naturally, this poured over to everything else in my life. Any time I made a commitment, I stuck to it, and I still do it today."