Comments on: The 3 Key Steps For Keeping Promises To Yourself

By: The Office Gal

The Office Gal — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:01:12 +0000

By: James

James — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 07:13:21 +0000

You bring up a good point Jose. One of the guidelines I use to determine an appropriate size for work is to see how small I have to make it before I actually want to do it.

I’m currently decorating my bedroom. Trying to do the entire room in a weekend was never going to happen. It didn’t appeal and I simply resisted doing it. However, when I decided to do one wall at a time (each weekend) it felt much more satisfying.

By: Lifehacker.ru

Lifehacker.ru — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 06:04:17 +0000

By: Jose da Silva

Jose da Silva — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 09:03:54 +0000

The issue with the first one is that our emotions get in the way. We need to have a strong abstraction mindset to be able to make realistic promises. As a human it is too easy to be emotional. I believe the hardest thing to do, at least for me, it’s to keep the promise until the end, it’s so easy to drop it in the middle!

By: Tage

Tage — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 20:55:25 +0000

I have a big problem with the first one. I procrastinate long enough, so that the project I promised myself that I would do becomes more and more unmanageable. Quick action and firm promises are a great way to keep to-do list items bitesize.

By: James

James — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:53:11 +0000

Thanks very much for the example contract Shanel, it’s brilliant. Will definitely be putting it into practise in the near future.

By: Shanel Yang

Shanel Yang — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:37:06 +0000

I really love your tip about making the promise contractual! Drawing upon my legal background, might I suggest the following language for such a contract? If the language is too legalistic, of course it can be simplified to any degree. I chose legalese to give it that extra gravitas, which is the whole point of your excellent tip!

Binding Contract For Valuable Services

I, [name], desiring to commit to my chosen goals, as set forth below, and to complete each step, also set forth below, of said chosen goals do hereby promise as follows:

1. For my goal of [specific goal, "losing 20lb by November 2008"], I will [specific bitesized task that will get you closer to your goal, "go to the gym for at least thirty minutes on Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday this week"].

2. For my goal of [ same specific goal as above with another task or a different specific goal with appropriate bitesized task, "no dessert during the week for just this week"].

3. And so on…

Having set forth these goals and the steps that I promise myself I will take this week toward each of them, I solemnly affix my signature on the line below, attesting that I shall carry out these steps with as much responsibility I would give to any promise I have made to any boss, client, family, or friend.

That was fun!