Here's a question that reveals everything: "What's happening when you miss the ONE thing you need to commit to doing this week?"
If you're honest, it's probably because you haven't made it truly non-negotiable yet.
That's the real issue. Your plan isn't the problem. Your commitment level is.
Here's what happens: If your ONE thing always gets sacrificed, you haven't truly committed to it yet.
The pattern: People protect what they truly believe in. Everything else becomes negotiable—urgent requests, personal excuses, whatever feels more comfortable than doing the hard thing.
The deeper question: If it's always your ONE thing that gets pushed aside—for the hard-to-ignore emergencies or the seductive distractions—something else is often at play.
Maybe you don't actually believe it will move the needle. Maybe you're afraid of the responsibility that comes with success. Maybe it's still in the "aspiration" category instead of the "commitment" category. Maybe you get identity rewards from being helpful and busy. Maybe you don't have permission to prioritize yourself first.
The specific reason matters less than the recognition: until you understand what's underneath the pattern, you'll keep living it.
The real issue: You know what your ONE thing is. You're just not doing it.
Think about that "perfect weekly plan" you've designed. Three important projects, five key conversations, that morning workout routine. It looks great on paper.
But every week, something "comes up" and you skip the thing that matters most. Work emergency. Family issue. Poor sleep. Social media spiral.
Here's the better question: "What would this look like if you were ALL IN on your commitment?"
Maybe it's protecting one hour for your ONE thing—period. That's what someone who's truly committed would defend, no matter what.
Which version reveals your actual commitment level?
The fix: Design a plan that reflects your real commitment, not your ideal commitment.
Your action step:
Look at your current weekly plan
Ask: "What would I actually defend when everything else demands my attention?"
Build your plan around THAT level of commitment
Test it: Can you commit to protecting just ONE thing this week? Not hope to. Not try to. Commit to.
The insight: Your actions reveal what you truly believe matters. Plans fail when they're built on what you think you should believe instead of what you actually believe. True belief doesn't need perfect conditions—it creates them.
Plan your work and work your plan,
Jeff