Never Miss a Workability Post

We're going to say it right up front; this is going to be controversial.  So buckle up and read 'til the end.  

The question we have for you today is: Whom do you want by your side, the person who made 1,000 promises and kept 500 or the person who made 1 promise and kept 1 promise.  No bargaining, you either get one or the other.

We’ll take the person who made 1,000 promises.  

Now, it’s important to say here that most people who break promises do NOT handle it responsibly.  They lie, don’t inform others in a timely way, and generally act horribly.  Most likely because they are embarrassed.  Nobody would prefer dealing with this person.

However, if you are an "adult" about your promises and take responsibility for the outcome, whatever it is, then we’ll take your 500 broken promises.  

Life can either be a game of playing it safe or being bold and putting your neck on the line, again and again.

If it is the latter, you are going to break some promises.  The idea that promises shouldn’t be made unless you know you will be able to keep them is childish.  

Don’t use this as a hall pass for breaking promises.  It is really a hall pass for making them.  Promises and commitments are a vital ingredient to success.  If you only make the ones you know you can keep, you are limiting your potential.  Giving our word to something creates potential.

It is common to hear phrases like, "don’t make promises that you can’t keep!"  We say, make promises that allow you to grow.  Oftentimes, those are the ones that you have no clue whether you will be able to keep or not.   If you are only willing to make promises inside your "comfort zone" then you will effectively keep yourself, your life, and your future contribution smaller, duller, and within your "comfort zone."

Under-promise and over-deliver, no thanks.  Promise big AND over-deliver.  Promises put your ass on the line.  We need our asses on the line to produce outside of our comfort zone.  The whole reason it is called a comfort zone is because WE DON’T WANT TO COME OUT OF IT.  

Here’s a simple truth we’ll leave you with: You can’t keep your word until you give your word.  What promises/commitments do you dream of keeping?  Well, you’ve got to make them to keep them.

To promising!