Commitment: A Cornerstone to Manhood: Countability (Can you be counted on?)

Commitment is value that every man needs to understand. It really defines the heart of what true manhood is. Are you a man known for commitment? Can others describe you as a committed man? In this blog series, we’ll explore the idea of commitment, and what it means to your life.

The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.

Bob Marley
Honestly, your integrity is not just in the words you speak, but it’s also in your ability to be counted on.
If you say you will do something – do you do it? If you are supposed to be somewhere – are you there on time?

Countability is a word I’ve borrowed from John Maxwell, and I’m not sure it exists otherwise – but it’s important to manhood.

If a group of people are sitting in a room, thinking about the men they need for a job, do they say, “Yes, I can count on him!” about you?


Now – here’s how you gain countability.

You start by committing to something small, and then you deliver it. Maybe it’s returning an email or a text message in a timely manner.

Then – you do something bigger.

And bigger.

And so on.

Countability is like a bicep – it gets bigger as you use it. And you have to start with something you know you can accomplish.

WHAT IF I MESS UP?
you may ask.


Well, a simple apology, and offer to make it right. (not an explanation, unless you are asked to provide one.) “I’m really sorry that I missed our meeting. Can I meet with you tomorrow?”   It takes a lot of time to build up countability with people after you’ve wrecked it. But it is something that matters.