Honor Your Words

Does it annoy you when someone cannot keep his or her word? When you make plans, does someone cancel on you at the last minute, without proper justification? Do you become agitated when someone makes plans with you, doesn't acknowledge that plans have been made, and makes other ones? If you've experienced what I just mentioned, then you are not alone. 

You may be wondering why people behave this way. The answer is simple: we allow it. I understand that everyone is human; humans do make mistakes. However, think about it. Do you wait for the late person over and over again? More likely than not, you have at one time. If a group member commits to building the PowerPoint but "didn't have time to get to it," would you let the person get away with it? You may not have, but I speculate that others would accept this behavior.

Let's put an end to this problem today. It can go away with a few simple solutions:

1) Confront yourself. Ask yourself if you are notorious for not keeping your word. The first step to solving any problem is admitting you have a problem.

2) If you cannot commit to your words, ask yourself why this is the case. Did you grow up in a family culture that doesn't care about punctuality? Does it give you the control you crave in your life?

3) Implement time management into your life. I cannot speak for each person, but I speculate that those who implement successful time management techniques are usually on time. 

4) Stop tolerating those who are inconsistent. If someone is more than 20 minutes late and has no reason to be, then leave! It's harsh, but the person will know not to be late again. 

5) If you voluntarily surround yourself with people like this, you may need a new social circle. 

If you honor your words, people will trust you. You will become the person who is recognized for following through on assignments and requests. When you honor your words, you gain a sense of self, have a better understanding of how much you can handle in a day, and will gain the respect you deserve.