"That's a man of his word"

                          

Hardly ever you hear anyone saying that today, right? The truth is that men and women of their word are very few nowadays. Have you ever stopped to think how much value has the words you say?

Many believe that to survive in this competitive world is necessary to lie, say half-truths, break contracts and leave people waiting. They do not give much importance to keep their word, bottom line is that, since they invented the excuses, everyone looks good. However, those who reason like this have a somewhat limited way of thinking. In the long term, these habits make you gain the reputation of being an irresponsible, insensitive, and cheating person. And the truth is that it will not help you in any area of your life, be it professional, family or social.

Keeping your word defines you

               

There is nothing that confers more dignity on a person than honesty.

A large percentage of broken promises originate in situations where you feel pressured to say "yes." The first step toward honesty is learning how to say "no" How is this? Well, you might feel embarrassed saying "I do not understand," "I do not know much about that," "I do not think I can finish it by that date," or "I will not be able to meet that schedule or that fee."

However, even if that is not exactly what your boss, your client or your partner wants to hear, they will certainly appreciate it more than if you say: "Yes, of course," and then you do not deliver. In addition, they will remain with a positive image of you. Many people or companies are willing to give training or a longer period of time to finish a project, in order to know that they are working with an honest person. Maybe they do not hire you for that job or event, but in the future when they need a trusted person, they will come to you. However, to be honest, in this regard we need two other virtues that are also quite scarce: humility and modesty.

Humility

       

Nobody knows everything, so why do we sometimes feel pressured to speak with authority on a certain subject, when the truth is that our knowledge is limited? We are even ashamed to ask questions and asking for help. Well, the lack of self-esteem can be at the root of acting like that. If we feel insecure about how others perceive us, we are more likely to feel pressured to exaggerate our abilities.

However, think for a moment, is not it true that you have many other skills and abilities? So, are you really worthless just because you do not master that particular area? Of course not!

Also, remember, if you do not express your doubts, you will never learn. If you make it clear that this is the first time you have done a project of this type, then those around you will have realistic expectations. Instead of thinking: "... And that,  supposedly was an expert," they will think "Not bad for their first time."

Modesty

                   

Modesty is being aware of your limitations. A mature person knows what he is capable of achieving and how long it will take them. Each person works at a different pace and has different amounts of energy. So if you frequently do not fulfill your commitments, it is a sign that you do not know yourself enough.

For example, a modest person does not say he will arrive in half an hour when he has to finish a report, answer two e-mails and cross the city at peak time. To avoid this, think before answering.

So, before you promise your cousin that you will help him with the move on Saturday, think about what kind of week you have scheduled and if, realistically, you can be there at 6:00 am, or after lunch, or if, unfortunately, you will not be able to cooperate this time. If you are not sure, do not feel pressured to answer immediately. You can say something like: "I'll call you on Friday when I have a better idea of

my availability."

The truth is that the so-called "pious lies", exaggerations and broken promises undermine your integrity. On the other hand, humility and modesty will help you to be a person of integrity in all fields of life.

@jonsnow1983

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