"Self confidence is a purifier of sorts that reduces the chatter in your head and allows you to fall into a state of flow."
- Today We Are Rich, page 39
"When you keep your commitments, you maintain your sense of integrity and self-respect and see yourself as a person who can be trusted."- Today, We Are Rich, page 250
Perhaps one of the reasons the “Promises” piece was so valuable to me was due to the fact that it simultaneously builds confidence internally (you feeling good as you keep your word), and from other people (their trust and respect for your integrity increasing every time you deliver). I also think it might be because keeping promises is becoming an increasingly difficult thing to do, the busier we get and the more forms of communication we have with people. But it sounds so simple, right?
“Keep your promises. Do what you say you’re going to. Follow through on commitments.”
I doubt there’s anyone among us who would argue the value and importance of keeping our promises. And yet, can any of us say with 100% certainty that we’ve never broken one? Why is that?
"The reason many promises aren’t kept is that they are treated as randomly as idle conversation."- Today We Are Rich, page 251
How many times have you half listened to someone’s needs and jumped in with “I can help with that!” or “I should totally introduce you to …”
We have an innate desire to help our fellow man. When we hear a need expressed, we want to help. Which is not the same as saying we can help, or should help. Real integrity comes from fully understanding what the request means for you, before offering to help. An offer for assistance, an introduction, or access to other resources at your disposal should not be a casual thing. Which is challenging. It feels good to jump in (as Sander’s calls it, being “Johnny-on-the-spot”). It’s fun. Exciting even. But it’s not a strong long term plan.
Blowing off preparing for a presentation to go to the beach feels good in the moment too, but there are real long term consequences. No different for making promises without thinking ahead. A person of high integrity follows through, to the best of their ability on every commitment they make; not just half-assing at the last minute.
A couple tips to help you make better commitments, and follow through on them:
"When calculating the price of breaking a promise, consider only the source of the promise. Keep your promises because of who you are, not because of who they are."- Today We Are Rich, page 263
If you follow the tips in insight #1, hopefully you won’t have to break many commitments. Zero would be the goal. Chances are though, you will find yourself in a situation where there are strong, logical reasons to break them. And likely, the recipient would understand. After all, they’ve been disappointed before.
But what if you didn’t? Break it, I mean. What if you put in a herculean effort and actually pulled it off? How good would that feel? What do you think that would do to your self esteem? Accomplishing that, despite all odds, would put you on top of the world, ready to conquer everything. Remember – your recipient may forgive you, but your subconscious will never forget. Having rock star self confidence comes from living a life of integrity, and integrity starts with you.
Today We Are Rich is not a business book, per se. In fact, I’m going to go ahead and call it a “people book”. It’s a fantastic reminder of why we’re here, where confidence comes from, and how we can get more of it back into our lives. (I say back because you rarely see a five year old with confidence issues, do you?) Not only that, it’s a fun read. Tim Sanders has gone out on a limb – exposing his past, and opening himself up to the world. I applaud him for it. And, if the blogs and Twitter streams I’ve been seeing lately are any indication, this may be his most respected and sought after book yet. We could all learn a thing or two from Tim. I encourage you to do so.
Tim Sanders speaks for strong business relationships, both internal and external. “Get them right,” he says, “and you’ll grow your business during good and bad times alike.” His relevant point of view makes him one of the most in demand keynote speakers on the conference and convention circuit.Tim is more than a keynote speaker; his real world experience, research savvy and deep understanding of the human condition make him an indispensable consultant to some of the biggest brands in the world.His Los Angeles based company, Deeper Media, conducts research on business trends, new media and human behavior.Corporate ExperienceTim has valuable experience in cutting-edge businesses, sales and marketing. He’s weathered the quality movement as well as the dotcom crash and emerged with precious insight. He was the Chief Solutions Officer at Yahoo! and later their Leadership Coach.Prior to these senior positions Tim created and led the Yahoo! ValueLab, an in-house “think tank” which delivered futuristic insight on technology and human behavior. He was also an early member of Mark Cuban and Todd Wagner’s broadcast.com, the most successful opening day IPO in history.Author and Media CreditsHis first book, Love is the Killer App: How to Win Business and Influence Friends is a New York Times and international business best seller, translated in a dozen languages. It stresses the importance of knowledge sharing, networking and compassion.His follow up, The Likeability Factor explains the concept of emotional talent and the importance of creating an engaging experience. It was the basis for a PBS Special, produced by leading affiliate WQED.His newest book, Saving the World at Work, examines the external relationship between a business, its people and society. It makes a strong business case for corporate social responsibility (CSR) and sustainability initiatives being at the top of a company’s strategic agenda. The book was named as one of the top 30 business books of 2008 by Executive Soundview.His work is frequently featured in the media, most recently in The New York Times, Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal and Fast Company.Educational BackgroundTim attended Loyola Marymount University and studied in the graduate school of communications at the University of Arizona.
