Below is an email I relieved today that enriched me enough to share. Hope every on is enriched today! (From Matt Warren, AdvoCare Nutrition Diamond Leader...) - If I get on the treadmill and set it for 20 minutes, but I stop at 12 minutes... I didn't honor my word... - If I tell someone I'll email them a document but don't, I didn't honor my word... - If you tell me you'll ring me tomorrow with more details and tomorrow comes and goes and I don't hear from you... you didn't honor your word... - If I have to take another call, promise to call you back, and then I don't... I didn't honor my word... And when we don't honor our word in little things, it trickles into every area of life and ultimately the big things... and the fruit (or lack of) in our life will reflect it... It's tempting to be a flake when it seems we're in a culture that simply has a hard time keeping it's word in both little & big things... I was never a "flake", but I certainly pulled a few "flip flops" in my 20's that drew harsh criticism from people whom I respected... I needed it... and I decided to change EVEN the little things... I'm far from perfect... but I DID get to a point in my life where I: - did what I said I was going to do... - called people whom I said I'd call... - had necessary conversations even if uncomfortable - moved forward with commitments that weren't comfortable... - avoided making commitments I knew I couldn't keep... - gave people advance notice when I couldn't deliver on my commitments... - began apologizing profusely when I couldn't deliver on my commitments... (key!) I read a book at a time in my life (2002) where I decided to live differently... the book radically changed my perspective on ALWAYS KEEPING MY WORD, EVEN WITH THE LITTLE THINGS... "THE 4 AGREEMENTS" by Don Miguel Ruiz The first "AGREEMENT" he encourages to make with yourself is: Be Impeccable With Your Word Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love. Things changed in radically positive ways for me when I began to take my word seriously... it's like stepping onto a different playing field in the game of life... you'll like the company you'll be keeping when you choose to step in the arena of "people who keep their word"... (if you're not there already)... And guess what? I don't have many folks who flake on me... because I'm not attracting them into my life and I've gotten good at qualifying people before I'll move into business with them... if I don't sense integrity, I'll not progress with appointments, etc... so if you're getting pooped on often, accept responsibility that either 1) the favor is getting returned to you, or 2) you're an eagle who's mingling with turkeys. | 
