If we never fully commit to our efforts, we can provide ourselves an out through which to excuse ourselves for our failures.
We tell ourselves that it does not matter that we failed because we were not really trying anyway.
Unfortunately, this path of non-commitment is also the path of mediocrity.
We cannot achieve anything worthwhile without commitment.
But, with commitment comes risk.
If we commit to what we are doing and it does not work out, we risk having wasted our time, energy, and attention.
We also risk embarrassment, humiliation, and failure.
The truth is, however, that not fully committing to anything is also a waste of our time, energy, and attention.
And, not committing to anything can cause us embarrassment, humiliation, and failure.
The difference is that, with commitment, we get to choose that which we may fail at.
Lack of commitment leads to failure by abdication.
It is better to regret choosing incorrectly that which we are committed to than to regret not having chosen at all.
In the end, there is no risk-free way out of responsibility, so it is better to choose our fate than to merely accept it apathetically.