To Do, Or Not To Do
Indulge me a little nostalgia here, please. I grew up in an era when a man's word was his bond (and women kept theirs, too). Contracts were often agreed to with a handshake, not outrageous attorney's fees. When someone said they'd do something, they usually did it. There was honor in keeping one's word. Pride.
Well, something has happened to society, and not just our American society. As often as not, now when someone says they're going to do something, you're crazy to hold an expectation that they actually WILL do it. How about the contractor who says he's going to come to your house and do some work? Doesn't he want the money? Or a landlord who promises to make improvements and fix up the yard and 9 months later it's not done? Does he expect to keep a good tenant if he can't keep his word?
I think the problem has become epidemic, caught just like a cold or flu. Other people do it (or don't, depending on how you look at it) so you adopt the thinking that it doesn't really matter if you do what you say you will or keep a promise. It becomes the standard for behavior, where it used to be the exception. I was talking to a friend about this and he pointed out that there are no longer any consequences for failing to keep your word. I think he's on to something: If Joe doesn't keep his word, he won't really expect Sam to keep his. And so it goes.
Believe it or not, there's a direct link between respect for others and respect for yourself, so what does this say about the collective mental health of modern society?
Okay, so here's my suggestion, if you want to increase your self-respect and gain the respect of everyone you deal with:
Take pride in your word; if you say you're going to do something, do it. And do it WHEN you say you're going to do it. You'll feel better about yourself, guaranteed, and take my word for it, you'll stand out from - and ABOVE - the crowd. Practice this at work and see who gets the raise or the promotion. Practice it with your friends and family and see how appreciated you are and how many people suddenly become willing to do things for you. Practice it with your spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend and see how much more love you get. You may not make a big difference in the world at large, but you might just make a big difference in your world.
As always,
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