The ability to keep a promise is not only reason to feel good about yourself, but also reason for other people to develop trust in you. Promises come from inside yourself. They can be a source of motivation and energy. Your decision to keep or break them reflects part of your character. Your behavior also reveals things about your hopes and fears that you may not yet be aware.
Life experience is meant to help you learn not to promise the impossible. Redefine your limits if you promise more than it turns out you can. This is a learning process. As we learn to promise less and surpass expectations, this will leave a better impression, and boost more confidence than if we're not following through. It's in your interest and in the interest of others, that you take your promises seriously. Consider the basis for business contracts, long-term relationships and spiritual growth are all intricately linked to learning how to make and keep promises.
If you have been making promises to yourself and to others, but find you have been unable to keep them, identify whether what held you back was or wasn't within your control. Making a promise is a big commitment which itself deserves praise. How you evolve to respond to unforeseen obstacles and pressures reveals whether you'll focus on excuses and complaints or contributions that bring you closer to keeping promises. If you don't make valiant efforts, the biggest loser will be you; your conscience and how you're perceived by others in the future.
