Commitment is usually defined as “being dedicated to a cause or activity.”

The Urban Dictionary cranks it up a notch: “actions which speak louder than words … the stuff character is made of … the power to change.” 

That’s more like it!

In my book, Replace Retirement - Living Your Legacy in the Exponential Age, and in my live presentations, I encourage people to make two basic commitments: Be Inspired and Manage Your Energy.

Let’s start with Be Inspired.

When we’re inspired by something — a family goal, a pending business deal, an upcoming vacation — it lightens our step and makes any challenge or obstacle easier to overcome. As Nietzsche famously said, “Who has a why can bear almost any how.”

I start each day with inspiration and rely on it often throughout the day. For example, in the morning when I exercise (something I don’t have a passion for), I’m inspired by the idea of being physically fit in the present and in the future — for the long-term opportunities it will provide in achieving my lifetime goals.

In the present sense, inspiration to exercise can be as simple as my wife Molly complementing my strong arms (she is a sweetie), or when I snowmobile 1,200 miles in four days and my back doesn’t hurt.

In the future sense, I often visualize my lifetime goal of skiing with my grandchildren on a black diamond run in Aspen at age 90. I tell myself that if I don’t exercise this morning, my chance of being able to ski at 90 is gone.

As a result of the Legacy Map tools (and having lived the last 10 years this way), I am inspired not only when I begin my day, but by consciously looking at the world optimistically throughout the day.

Once you’re inspired, the second commitment is Manage Your Energy.

I do this holistically from a spiritual, mental, and physical perspective. When reviewing my lifetime priorities, I design all 6 to be energy giving. As I proceed through the quarter, month, and week, I’m aware of activities, people, and situations that give me energy vs. those that don’t — and align my priorities and supporting habits to increase my energy.

Conversely, any habit or activity that is energy depleting is removed over time.

My exercise example also applies to Manage Your Energy. I don’t have the same passion for pushups that I do for snowmobiling. However, I do get energy from completing my morning workout in three distinct ways:

• First, it helps me wake up. Getting the blood pumping and muscles working sends healthy chemicals into my brain and body, clearing the fog of waking up quicker and better than a cup of coffee!

• Second, I feel good about keeping an important commitment to myself. Over my lifetime, I’ve broken all kinds of commitments — many small and inconsequential (affecting only me), and some large (affecting my family and those I value deeply). Every day that I keep a commitment adds another brick to my character foundation, reinforcing who I am.

• Third, there’s the cumulative effect. Over time, I will see increasing benefits from the compound growth of decades of exercise. As I physically age through my 60s, 70s, and beyond, I will noticeably pull away from my more sedentary peers.

Each day, I am intentionally “replacing retirement with intentional living.” I do this by being inspired and managing my energy. So can you. The tools I use are at replaceretirement.com.