TOW#562 —Why it’s important to stick to agreements
How many times has it happened that you reach an agreement, but when it comes to implementation only you did your end and the other side didn’t, or postponed?
How many times has it happened to you that you agreed to something and you didn’t stick to the agreement?
But before I move on to why it’s important to stick to your word, let me share with you some reasons why some of us sometimes don’t:
- When someone asks us to do something, we say OK, as a way to sort of control what people think of us, plus show that we’re hardworking, and since we don’t want to let them down we say OK almost mechanically.
- We say OK right away, but then we realise we can’t do it and begin to get tangled up in negative feelings.
- You say OK without thinking, but you then realise that the person asking you is kind of controlling you with it (as in, if you don’t finish it you’ll get the blame and others will be talking about you) and so some resistance develops to what you said you’d do, and you end up not doing it out of sheer egotistical pigheadedness!
Whatever the reason, after that you start to find excuses (lies) that usually come down to the fact that you didn’t have time or that you had other priorities or whatever… So, here are some reasons why it’s important to do what you agreed to do:
• Integrity — for me, what we’ve agreed to do is a matter of integrity. I wouldn’t feel good about myself if I didn’t keep my word. Giving my word means something to me — I don’t give it lightly. If sticking to agreements doesn’t mean much to you, then you should be asking yourself why this is so(?);
• Trust and security — I don’t trust people who don’t stick to agreements. If someone lets me down a few times, then I know they’re not a safe option for further collaboration. Trust is what friendships and collaborations thrive on. I understand that this may be quite constrictive, but at least it makes things clear;
•Respect — I lose respect for people whose word means nothing to them, and sadly there’s more and more people like that. I feel somehow manipulated when someone says they’ll do something and then they don’t. Of course, there’s usually a good reason why that thing wasn’t done despite what they said, but if it keeps happening, then something’s wrong with the respect they have for me;
• Self-respect — seriously though, when you deceive someone, doesn’t your heart get a little heavy, and you can’t easily look them in the eye anymore? I really can’t understand how you can have self-esteem if you don’t keep your word! By not doing what you promised, you don’t respect yourself, and when you don’t respect yourself then how can you expect others to respect you?;
• Power — by keeping to what was agreed, your power and self-confidence increase. This, in turn, positively influences your development. Not to mention the trust you build in the people around you.
That’s why the old saying goes, “Your word is your bond”. Which means that if you say you’ll do something, it’s better to make sure that you do it.
Respectfully,
@kalinbabusku
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