Promising Yourself to Failure

I promise, I will pass-on your resume
I promise, I will help you promote this product
I promise, I will stop smoking
I promise, that I be home by 6:00
I promise, that I will lose weight
I promise, I will come over and help you
I promise, I will _____________

What have you promised and not delivered on?

You may not be using the word promise, maybe you said…”I know a guy who can help!” Johnny-on-the-spot just has committed themselves to helping which is as-good-as a promise.

Promises are the easiest thing to make, but are one of the hardest things to do.  If you want to improve your image, make fewer promises.  Jean-Jacques Rousseau, author of the The Social Contract, wrote “He who is most slow in making a promise is the most faithful in its performance.” Think about what you are actually promising to do for somebody.

• Can you actually do what they are asking?
• Do you really have the time and resources?
• Do you care enough to complete the promise?

Successful people make very few promises and when they do… they deliver and many times over deliver.  So, do not make promises just to give empathy to a problem.  Listen, think, analyze the situation, then research the solution more. Once you have the full understanding of the situation, you will then if you are fully committed to the problem, make a promise to help resolve the situation.

It is better to be known as a person who keeps their promises and delivers on them then to be the person that breaks promises. Now, promise that you will think before you make your next promise, that’s  all I ask.