“When you truly commit in your life you start receiving more than you imagine.”

– Jeff Bridges

If you haven’t seen the recently released movie “True Grit,” it’s well worth watching. Jeff Bridges plays tough U.S. Marshal Rooster Cogburn in this remake of the 1969 classic starring John Wayne. Hot off his Academy Award win for best actor last year, Bridges is a shoo-in for another nomination. But Jeff wasn’t always even sure that acting was what he wanted to do.

In the book “On Gratitude” Jeff describes a point early on in his career when he had done about ten movies and even received an Academy Award nomination. “I still wasn’t sure I really wanted to be an actor,” he relates. “This was back in the 70’s. I just wouldn’t commit. So I finished this movie, ‘The Last American Hero,’ and I didn’t want to work, but I got a call saying John Frankenheimer wanted to cast me in ‘The Iceman Cometh’ with Lee Marvin, Robert Ryan, and Frederic March. I passed. ‘Ah, I’m bushed. No thanks,’ I said. Five minutes later, the director of ‘The Last American Hero’ called me up and said, ‘You call yourself an actor. You’re no actor. I’m never talking to you again.’ I thought, ‘Gee, let’s think about this for a second. Am I an actor or not?’ You know, being a professional means you have to work sometimes, even when you don’t feel like it. But I decided then and there that, yes, I’m an actor. I took the movie. When you truly commit in your life, you start receiving more than you could imagine. That’s how it’s worked for me.”

How it can work for you in 2011 depends on what kind of commitment you make. Remember, RightStar differentiates itself by its commitment to education, customer service, and being a company that people enjoy working for.

Education will continue to be a key differentiator for RightStar. This week we have two people in Matrix42 training and several others are taking Remedy WBTs. We also have an ITIL Foundation class scheduled at the end of this month, and hope to have extra seats for our own employees. Make a commitment in 2011 to continue achieving new certifications, not only to improve your own resume, but to elevate our status with BMC and with current and potential customers.

In the spirit of every customer a reference, make an effort to “wow” our customers by really understanding their requirements and committing to their success. You’ve heard me say many times that “We’re not just software guys with screwdrivers.” Let’s prove it!

Finally, make a commitment to make a difference to yourself and others. Let’s all set aside just one volunteer time off day, tentatively May 13 or 14, to get involved in the community. You could pick up trash, work with youth groups, help out at a homeless shelter, or some other volunteer activity. Look for more ideas and suggestions as we get closer to May 13. Imagine the collective difference we could make if each of set aside just a little time to create positive change in the community.