To be good at keeping promises 5 things help build great relationships.

Most of us have been the recipient of a broken promise.

Bosses, partners, or friends that failed to come through and deliver on their word.?When somebody doesn’t keep their promise, it leaves a lasting scar.

When questioned about values, most people surveyed recite honesty as one of their top five answers.

Telling the truth matters to most of us.?Ironically, many of us have told a lie when it was convenient.?Many people are also comfortable breaking promises if it serves their self-interest.

Honoring our word is a verbal contract between two people.?In business, in relationships,?with our children,?keeping our word demonstrates integrity and it reflects favorably on our character.

So why is the trail of shattered promises so long?

Many people do it unintentionally.?We forget our promises,?we overcommit,?we shift our attention and neglect the impact of broken obligations.?

However, sometimes failing to adhere to our promises is driven by selfishness or blatant disregard.?

The cost of not keeping our promises has painful consequences.?Missed opportunities,?damaged relationships,?being known as unreliable,?having a poor reputation.?Neglecting our promises also creates conflict and leaves us feeling guilty or filled with remorse.??

"Among the things you can give and still keep are your word, a smile and a grateful hearth". Zig Ziglar

To be good at keeping promises 5 things help build great relationships:????

Self-respect

Cultivating authenticity requires defining our values and discovering our purpose.??In the process we focus on building self-trust and self-respect.?As we improve our ability to focus on what matters most, we avoid uncomfortable situations that are inconsistent with our priorities.?We also develop astute intuition which helps us avoid people that can’t be trusted and avoid situations that tempt us to compromise our integrity. ?Learn to love yourself and you will have no trouble honoring your word as your circle of influence becomes broader but your "true friends" more selective.???????

Deeper relationships

Any healthy relationship requires trust and that includes keeping our word.?Once we start to earn the reputation as being unreliable, people quickly conclude we can’t be trusted to do what we say.?There is no better way to ruin a relationship than to consistently fail to honor our promises.?Deep relationships demand being trustworthy and being someone, people can depend on.

"If you say something and back it up with your actions, you will provide proof for people who are listening to you, and they will much more willingly follow your lead". Jim Rohn

Avoid regret

Research shows later in life people suffer regret over the things they didn’t do.?However, regret over ruined relationships will always leave a permanent mark when we harbor regret over being negligent.?The best way to avoid regret,?do what we say and prevent having to endure the painful consequences of feeling guilty for not honoring our promises.?

Communicate with clarity

Learning to communicate better is always a good investment.?When we learn to listen to understand and respond more carefully, we choose our words cautiously.?In the process of being more emotionally intelligent we avoid making commitments we don’t intend to keep, and don’t make promises we can’t fulfill.?Communicating with clarity ensures we don’t stumble into situations we later regret.?We think carefully before agreeing to anything inconsistent with our values. ????

Learning to say no

One of the most important things we can learn by keeping our word, is being more selective about what we agree to.?Many of us struggle with saying no, which creates a myriad of obligations we later regret because there inconsistent with our top priorities.?By saying no, we reduce the likelihood of needing to “back out of obligations” we no longer desire to keep.?By learning to say no and setting firm boundaries, we avoid having to make commitments inconsistent with our values.

"Integrity is the most valuable and respected quality of leadership. Always keep your word.". Brian Tracy

Sum it up

Are you good at keeping your word? Share your thoughts in the comments section and please like and share this article. I love learning from you as well.

About Steve:

Steve Wohlenhaus is CEO of Weatherology, the leading company in the world at disseminating audio weather information.??Steve began his career as a major market television weather anchor in Minneapolis, where he received several Emmy Awards for science programming.?Steve is an author and host of the podcast program Anatomy of Success.?Reach out and connect with me on LinkedIn.?Learn more about my work and grab the free Weatherology mobile app by clicking any picture in this article!