What is the purpose of dedication? Dedication to an activity, an idea, a philosophy? Why is it that sometimes we are fully dedicated to something or someone wholeheartedly and then gradually lose that dedication? And why is it that sometimes we can be dedicated to something for long periods of time without even realizing it?

These are vague questions, but I find myself thinking about dedication recently as I have embarked on a new training and eating regimen. And dedication is on the forefront of my mind as I have attempted to make positive changes in the past. Some attempts have been better than others. Last year, I was all-out dedicated and dropped a significant amount of weight. But I still had a ways to go. After about six months of solid success I stalled out. Fortunately I did not start gaining, but the plateau was frustrating. So I have recently started a new program with a trainer and I am seeing tremendous success in the first few weeks. Will it continue? I think so because I am enjoying the workouts more than any I have done in a long time. I will not go into the details of my workouts, but they are successful for me as an individual.

The key is accountability. I may backslide on my own, but I would avoid disappointing my trainer if at all possible. So is dedication really a matter of accountability? Are you truly dedicated or just determined not to let another person down?