“We must not promise what we ought not, lest we be called on to perform what he cannot” said Abraham Lincoln. The concept of making and keeping promises is an important aspect of our daily lives. Promises are a way to build trust in our relationships and demonstrate our reliability and credibility. However, promises are not just important in our interactions with others, they are also important in our personal lives and can have a significant impact on our self-esteem and sense of accomplishment.

The concept of making and keeping promises to ourselves is often overlooked and underrated. We often underestimate the impact that broken promises can have on our psyche and self-confidence. When we don’t keep our promises to ourselves, it can lead to a sense of dissatisfaction, disappointment, and even shame. It can also lead to a vicious cycle of negative self-talk and self-doubt that can significantly impact our ability to succeed in all areas of our lives.

Here are 8 reasons why keeping promises to ourselves is important:

1. Unfulfilled promises leave open loops

When we make promises to ourselves and don’t keep them, it becomes an open loop in the back of our minds. It niggles at us and eats away at our energy. To avoid this vicious cycle, we must be selective about the promises we make and only make promises that we can realistically follow through on.

2. Fulfilled promises are great for motivation and success

When we make a commitment to ourselves and follow through on it, we build our sense of self-efficacy, which is a great motivator for success. Setting aside time in our calendar for completing the task can be an effective way to be realistic about what we can achieve and build a virtuous cycle that feeds success.

3. Broken promises impact us as much as the person we make the promise to

Social creatures that we are, when we make a commitment to someone and don’t keep it, we feel like we’ve let that person down. This feeling can impact our self-belief and our chances of long-term success.

4. Living up to every single promise builds trust in ourselves

When we don’t fulfill the promises we make to ourselves, we lose faith in ourselves and our ability to succeed in achieving our goals. Using a minimalistic approach to promises can help us be selective and focus on what we can accomplish with maximum impact.

5. Living up to every promise teaches us to apply the Pareto principle

The Pareto principle states that approximately 20% of the reference yields 80% of the results. Focusing on that 20% is the key to success. Keeping a daily journal can be an effective way to practice this principle and focus only on what’s working for us.

6. Keeping promises helps us find a peaceful balance

Staying committed to delivering on our promises can help us embrace minimalism and be selective about the activities we take on. This can, in turn, help us have a minimalistic attitude towards possessions too. The less clutter we have in our lives, the more peaceful and balanced we feel.

7. Fulfilling promises keeps us on track to achieve our life goals

When we keep promises to ourselves no matter what, we’re playing to the orchestra of life. We’re working within the parameters of a disciplined routine, and our self-discipline will help us achieve our life goals.

8. A string of unfulfilled promises can damage our self-esteem

Unfulfilled promises can create a sense of shame, disappointment, and embarrassment. However, being selective about the promises we make and keeping them can significantly boost our self-esteem.

In conclusion, keeping promises to ourselves is as important as keeping them to others. When we make a promise to ourselves, we’re demonstrating our reliability and credibility to ourselves. We’re building our self-confidence and sense of self-efficacy, which are critical components of success. Therefore, we must be selective about the promises we make and only make promises we know we can realistically deliver on. Our promises define our legacy, and our word is our bond.