You can’t control commitment, you can only control action. This is the secret sauce to actually getting things done without the mental burnout. It’s about focusing on the next physical step, not the mountain of a project.
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Meaning
The core message is brutally simple: stop trying to *feel* committed and just *do* the next obvious action. Your feelings will follow your feet.
Explanation
Look, we’ve all been there. Staring at a massive project, feeling that weight of “I have to be fully committed to this.” And it’s paralyzing. What David Allen is really saying is that commitment is this fuzzy, internal, emotional state. It’s unreliable. You can’t just flip a switch and feel 100% committed. But you *can* control your physical body. You can control your fingers to type an email. You can control your legs to walk to the whiteboard. You can control your voice to make a single phone call. That’s the magic. By focusing exclusively on the *next physical, visible action*, you bypass the resistance. You build momentum. And before you know it, you look back and realize… hey, I *am* committed. The action created the commitment, not the other way around.
Quote Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Category | Career (192) |
| Topics | action (112), commitment (33), discipline (252) |
| Literary Style | direct (414), motivational (245) |
| Emotion / Mood | calm (491), determined (116) |
| Overall Quote Score | 71 (53) |
Origin & Factcheck
This gem comes straight from David Allen’s 2001 book, Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity, which really kicked off the modern productivity movement in the United States. It’s a core tenet of his GTD methodology, and while the philosophy echoes older ideas about action, this specific phrasing is authentically his.
Attribution Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Author | David Allen (50) |
| Source Type | Book (4032) |
| Source/Book Name | Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity (50) |
| Origin Timeperiod | 21st Century (1892) |
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Authenticity | Verified (4032) |
Author Bio
David Allen created the GTD methodology and helped millions organize work and life with clear, actionable steps. He began as a management consultant, refined GTD through client engagements, and published Getting Things Done in 2001, followed by Ready for Anything and Making It All Work. He founded the David Allen Company and expanded GTD training globally, later relocating to Amsterdam to support international growth. A sought-after speaker and advisor, he remains a leading voice on clarity, focus, and execution. Explore the David Allen book list for essential reads.
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Where is this quotation located?
| Quotation | You can’t control commitment, you can only control action |
| Book Details | Publication Year/Date: 2001; ISBN/Unique Identifier: 978-0143126560; Last edition: Revised edition published 2015; Number of pages: 352. |
| Where is it? | Chapter 10: Getting Projects Under Control, Approximate page 214 (2015 edition) |