Recently my laptop
needed repairs and when I went to pick it up I found that I was about six
dollars short of the required payment. When I told the repairman that he
would have the money by evening time, he got a look of disbelief in his eyes
and asked with suspicion, “Promise?” Taken aback, I said, ‘of course.’
Later I sent someone with the money, and the repairman was shocked. He said
that no one really comes back in such a situation.
I am reminded of the
numerous times when someone had made a promise only to ignore it later. A
young woman called and said, “Didi Ji, I really need to speak with you. May I
come over?” “Well, I am travelling tomorrow, but since it’s very important you
may come over.” We made an appointment but she did not show up. “What
happened,” I called her to ask. “Oh, I was tired, so I fell asleep.” That’s it.
No apology, no regrets, no phone call to say that she would not be able to
come.
When you give your word,
you should be good for it. When a promise is made, you must do your
utmost to fulfill it. If you cannot fulfill it, don’t make it in the
first place. There is no point in saying, “The check is in the mail” if you
have not written it yet. Do not say, “I will be there at 10 am” if you
have no intention of being there before noon.
If you are not true to
your word, people will lose faith in you at some point. You may swear up
and down that you can be trusted, but your actions will speak louder than your
words.