You may have heard the story about the world's most dedicated fisherman. He had out-fished his companion all morning long. They used the same live bait, the same equipment and fished together in the same mountain stream. But he had almost caught his limit of fish while his friend had yet to catch even one.

"What's your secret?" asked the friend. "I haven't even gotten a bite!"

The angler mumbled an unintelligible answer, causing his companion to ask again.

The successful fisherman emptied the contents of his mouth into a cupped hand and replied: "I said, 'You have to keep your worms warm.'"

That’s commitment! But did you know there are at least three types of fishermen? First, there are those who fish only for sport. They usually “catch and release,” quickly throwing their catch back into the water.

Then there are those who fish because they like the taste of fish. They are selective. They only keep those fish they will someday eat.

Finally, there are those who fish in order to eat. If they don’t succeed in catching fish, they skip a meal. It is this group of people who are most likely to succeed, for they approach their task with earnest dedication.

Whether or not we fish or even eat fish, the lesson is the same. We are most likely to succeed at a particular endeavor if we approach it wholeheartedly. Especially if the task before us is difficult or there seems little likelihood of success. Whether we want to patch a relationship, build a new business, write that first novel, kick a drug habit, or go back to school, we must decide if our task is important enough to commit to it. “Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing,” said Abraham Lincoln. For often, we will succeed only after we have fully resolved to do something.

The question we should ask ourselves is, “Just how much do I want this?” For not every job we do or task we attempt is worthy of complete dedication. We may choose to give lesser priorities less attention in order to give more of ourselves to those greater causes.

Other questions to ask are: “How will it affect me if I fail at this thing?” and “Am I willing to be fully committed in order to succeed?” For only in the dictionary does “success” come before “work.”

Remember, when you are fully committed, the impossible can happen.