“Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes; but no plans” -- Peter F. Drucker

Commitment: Having significant investment in an idea or person, both in terms of intensity and duration. Having the energy to serve the group and its goals. Commitment originates form within, but others can create an environment that supports an individual’s passions.
I feel that Commitment is the most important C to keep in mind when acting as a Change Agent. One of the most important aspects of social change that we discussed very early on in this class is that in order to achieve social change, you must continually engage in the desired outcome. Social change is not a one time thing; it is an actual movement that perpetuates beyond a single service event or group seminar. From this explanation, I feel that commitment is the most important ingredient to acting as a Change Agent because it takes commitment to continue on the legacy of a movement for social change. Without “having the energy to serve the group and its goals” (as defined in the definition in the book), the movement for social change would slowly die out and the role as a Change Agent would become irrelevant.

In my opinion, the biggest challenge in becoming a Change Agent is dealing with adversity, distractions, and pressure from opposition. As Chapter President’s, we are always the most excited about social change and usually have the best ideas for social change within the chapter or the community as a whole, but we are often deterred from the path of achieving these goals by these three obstacles. As we learned at CPLI and GO!, often times as Chapter Presidents we find ourselves managing rather than leading. We are often caught up in adverse situations that usually come unannounced and at the worst possible time every time. Of course, it is vital for us to address and fix these issues, but it is a huge deterrent from implementing goals as a Change Agent. A second challenge to becoming a Change Agent is distractions. Often times in college we get mixed up in the shuffle and lose sight of what we want to achieve. Especially at a school like OSU, it is difficult to focus on one thing at a time. Whether it academic, extra-curricular, or social, it is hard to fit everything into just 24 hours in one day. Being a Change Agent takes focus and dedication, and without these, the distractions that we encounter in life will deter anyone from achieving their goals for change. Finally, the last piece that serves as a challenge to becoming a Change Agent is pressure from other peers who may oppose your goals or views. Often times as Chapter Presidents, it is up to us to make the final, right decision. We often have to make a decision that may be unpopular, but we have to do what is right for the chapter and the community. Caving in to heavy pressure from those who may be ignorant to the facts of what is truly the right thing to do will certainly deter a person from being a Change Agent and achieving social change. Staying committed to your beliefs in this realm will allow you as Change Agent to not only be congruent but also a good leader and a successful Change Agent!

Anyone can certainly be a Change Agent, that is, if they have the right mind set. As long as a person is COMMITTED to their goal and stays consistent with their vision, they can work to being a role model to the community as a Change Agent. In my perspective, Change Agent’s do not always have to be successful in everything they do. Even the most influential people in the world who have committed to and created change in the world have not always succeeded the first time around. At the end of the day, if you are committed to what you do, what you believe in, and what you plan to pursue, all of the hard work will pay off in some way or another and the pieces will eventually fall together.

“Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes; but no plans”
--Peter F. Drucker