Should I Stay or Should I Go? How to Commit Without Losing Yourself

Should I Stay or Should I Go? How to Commit Without Losing Yourself

From The Art of Accomplishment by Joe Hudson and Brett Kistler

June 5, 2026 · 34 min · Episode 162

About this episode

Joe and Brett explore the complexities of commitment and the underlying fears that influence decision-making in relationships and careers.

"Should I stay or should I go?" is one of the most common questions people bring to coaching, whether about a relationship, a job, or any major commitment. What if the hang-up is in the question itself? In this episode, Joe and Brett explore what's really being asked underneath the surface and why the path forward rarely lies in pros and cons lists. Together, they unpack two distinct versions of this question, the deeper fear that drives it, and what it actually looks like to commit to something without losing yourself in the process. Together, they explore: - The two types of people asking this question: chronic askers vs. those facing it for the first time - Why this question is really about enmeshment vs. self-abandonment - How childhood experiences of being asked to please a parent create fear of commitment - Doubt as the surface emotion - "Will I get more growth if I stay or if I leave?" when this is wisdom and when it's avoidance - Why idealizing the future (staying or leaving) keeps you stuck in the present - The Buckminster Fuller move: showing up uncompromisingly as yourself - The trap of "being yourself" with a chip on your shoulder - What real commitment actually means…

People in this episode

Hosts: Joe Hudson, Brett Kistler

Topics covered

  • commitment
  • self-identity
  • relationships
  • decision making
  • personal growth

Keywords

  • commitment
  • self-abandonment
  • enmeshment
  • personal growth
  • decision making

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