Can you be trusted? Do you keep your promises
Can you be trusted? Not by others, but rather by yourself? How good are you at keeping agreements with yourself?
In their book “Life 101,” John-Roger and Peter McWilliams pointed out that the agreements we make are always with ourselves, although sometimes they include other people. In that sense, they’re like relationships. All of our relationships are with ourselves, but often they include other people as well.
Now, your word is one of the most precious things you have, but many people think very little of breaking it. This is a mistake for two reasons.
First and most obviously, it weakens your credibility with other people. But even more importantly, it weakens your credibility, trustworthiness and reliability with yourself. You can’t help but act in ways that reflect that. So, once you make an agreement and give your word, do everything in your power not to break it. A broken word, like a broken cup, can’t hold much for very long.
When you lovingly keep your word, that is, keep it strong, keep it dependable, and keep it true, you will know the power of accountability. And when you lend this power to a worthy cause that you believe in, its effect will be doubly powerful.
Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Trusting yourself is the first secret of success.” But how can you trust yourself unless you honour your agreements and keep your word?