It always amazes me how often people break agreements; Commitments to be somewhere, promises to get something done, even interviews for a job.
Keeping agreements just doesn't seem to be important to most people.
As a teenager it was one of the things that annoyed me most about people.
When I said something everyone knew I would do it.
Some time ago I started a business.
I was working with a team, all of us heading toward the same goal.
While working with them I really enjoyed myself and learned more than I would have thought possible, but one day I was talking to one of them and we agreed to put a meeting together.
This wasn't that big of a deal, just a small thing for a small group of people that was meant to get our businesses moving.
It was an hour of her time once a week for 2 weeks.
That's right just 2.
The first week she showed up, though she wasn't prepared and about ten minutes late.
She told me how everything had gone wrong and she'd barely made it at all, if there'd been any way to contact me she would have called it off, but lucky for me she'd lost her phone.
The next week she gave me a call an hour before and called the whole thing off.
It was an utter nightmare that could have been resolved if she'd just kept her agreement.
It's easy to find excuses, easy to just be too tired or too busy to keep up with those things that you say you're going to do.
But what does that say about you? One of the easiest ways to become successful and get more done is to keep your commitments.
That includes your commitments to yourself, commitments to your children, friends, family, even the stranger you've just met.
If you tell them you're going to do something make sure you get it done! When you always keep your word that shows through to other people, your reputation builds for being an honest person who carries through.
A few months ago my father contacted me.
He works in videography and wanted me to help him make his website more appealing.
Without realizing that he had no idea what I actually did I agreed thinking this would be an easy job, going in change a few pictures, rewrite his opening and it's done.
Unfortunately that's not what he thought.
He sent me a blank link.
There was no website, no chance of it being quick, and I knew nothing, NOTHING about building a webpage.
I could have turned around sent it back and said this is not what I agreed to, but I'd told him I would help him out.
So I spent hours figuring it out, days putting it together, and weeks fixing it up.
The time it took me to do what he'd originally asked was about 1 hour.
I went out of my way to keep my word.
I didn't have to, and most people I know wouldn't have, but I'm not sad I did it, for I now know more than I did before and doors have opened that weren't there before.
Keep your word and ways will appear that you never even imagined, more will get done, and help will come when you need it.