The commitments you make to others that you keep determine your reputation. The commitments you make to yourself determine your confidence.
I look for confident people to work with. They are congruent internally, first and foremost. What I find is that they have a consistency of keeping commitments for themselves. There is integrity in their thoughts and actions.
If you know that what you commit to gets done, then your ability to execute allows you to make firm, bold and assured commitments. You can hear it in the voice of leaders. They have conviction rather than salesmanship.
Here’s how to increase your influence and win more in business and life:
- Don’t Commit. When the temptation is there to volunteer something, stop yourself. Having self-control on what you commit to can have just as much power to build your reputation as working hard to deliver.
- Commit With Deadlines. Telling someone when you will deliver gets things concrete quickly.
- Follow Through. If you end up committing to something you regret, do it anyways. It will teach you to discretion and discipline about what you say in the future.
What do you believe about yourself? It is likely correlated to how you handle commitments and get things done. Heed your words and actions. Line them up so that you are congruent in thought, speech and execution. If you have been loose, tighten it up. It is an area of focus that is worthwhile for lifelong vigilance. Your confidence depends on it.
What are your thoughts?