January 19, 2010

A Promise is a Promise, Right?   "I promise to exercise three days a week." "But, Mom, you promised!" "In our conversation last week, you promised that you would be at work on time, and that is not happening."   When you promise something, you are assuring you, or the other person, that something will certainly happen because of that promise - to love and to cherish, stop smoking, be at work on time, take your child to the park on Saturday.   Have you ever made a promise to yourself or to others (family, friends, employees, co-workers) that you failed to keep? Did you brush it off as no big deal?  If so, think again.   "The most important element in any relationship, business or personal, is trust and credibility," said Brian Tracy.  Broken promises eat away at that trust.    Furthermore, it could take days, weeks, months, and even years to regain the trust that was broken.  Sadly, sometimes it can never be restored.  All because of broken promises.   How can you improve your promise-making so that you are able to keep your promises and maintain trust and credibility in your relationships?   Start by keeping the promises you make to yourself.  If you can't, then why would it be any different to keep promises made to others?  The buck stops with you! Make promises you know you can keep.  How many times have you promised the moon, knowing that you cannot deliver? Put more thought into the promises you do make. Your credibility is on the line. At the first sign you know you cannot keep that promise, let the other party know.  Fess up and do what you have to do to keep the trust. Keep track of the promises you make.  If you have a tendency to fill your schedule with an abundance of commitments, you must know what you have agreed to.  Remember the who, what, when, where, and how.  You can bet the other person does. What is the value of the promise you just made?  What's in it for you if you follow through and what is in it for the other person if you follow through?  Recognizing a promise's value will encourage you to honor the pledge.  So... Say "No" more often.  Stop making promises that have no meaning for you. When you are able to do that, you open yourself to promises that do add value.    Keeping a promise is the quickest way to build trust and credibility in all of your relationships.  On the other hand, failing to keep a promise is the quickest way to destroy that trust.    A promise is a promise.  Keep it.     "We must not promise what we ought not, lest we be called on to perform what we cannot."             Abraham Lincoln   "There are three signs of a hypocrite; when he speaks he speaks lies, when he makes a promise he breaks it, and when he is trusted he betrays his trust."             Muhammad   "Always deliver what you say you will.  Never make a promise that you can't follow through on.  The way you really build trust, in a sense, is through crucibles.  You have to show that you will do your part, even if it is difficult."             Dennis Ross, formerUSAmbassador             "He who is most slow in making a promise, is the most faithful in performance of it."             Jean-Jacques Rousseau     Promises are flying right and left today.  Are they being met?  Does anyone even care?  It behooves you to care if you want trust in your relationships, both personally and professionally.  Please don't turn a blind eye to the importance of a promise.  Cultivate the habit of making and keeping promises and surround yourself with those who are of like mind.  Your life will be greatly enhanced when you do.   Have a fantastic week and keep your promises.    Stephanie   P.S.  Is your group, convention, trade show, or gathering looking for a speaker to inspire those in attendance?  Contact me to discuss the possibilities.       We grow by "word-of-email" so please feel free to forward this newsletter to anyone whom you think might benefit from and enjoy it. Thanks so much! Contact Us: stephanie@7steps2abalancedlife.com