My Grandfather said the wedding vows command us to say “I will” instead of “I do” love this person. Reviewing common vows online I don’t see “I will” explicitly but it does seem clear that the vows are about a lifelong commitment of action instead of just a statement about the way one feels now.

Reflecting on this, there is a simple but powerful distinction between “I will” and “I do.” We all are capable of doing good things every once in a while but very few of us are willing to discipline ourselves to do good things all the time — or the things we know we should. This is the power between making a commitment of what you “will do” — it becomes your lifetime mission statement, of sorts.

This distinction reminds me of people talking about how they haven’t found anything they are passionate about. I don’t relate to it but I do hear it. I recently read someone talk about how people ought not wait to “find” their passion but just choose something, make a commitment to it and get really good at it and you’ll become passionate about it.

I think this is true and comes from the same power of commitment that comes from choosing you “will” instead of you “do.”