Learn to keep all the promises that you make to yourself

The primary key to succeeding is teaching yourself to keep the promises that you make to yourself. This is the ultimate measure of your ability to lead yourself. All effective leaders, in industry, politics and any craft are first and foremost great leaders of themselves. It is a mission impossible to attempt to lead others if you cannot lead yourself.

For many of us, every year, new month, new week or even each day we promise to accomplish various tasks or activities. Unfortunately, most people do not see to it that they accomplish those activities. Millions lack the discipline to do even the smallest of tasks that they commit to undertake.

The danger here is that there is no one to remind or reprimand you for not doing the things you’ve promised yourself. It is only you who can reprimand yourself for failure to accomplish these types of tasks, activities or goals. The absence of painful sanctions against yourself makes it look normal to fail to do the things you commit to.

The problem is that over time and without your knowledge, you develop the habit of leaving unfulfilled goals, undone activities and tasks. These daily failures are lethal weapons against your success. Before you realise it, the week is gone, the month is gone and eventually, the year is done. Life rolls on…in five years, ten yours you start wondering why others appear to be progressing and doing well in life unlike you.

Today I beseech you by the mercies of God to train yourself and learn to keep each promise you make to yourself for 5 reasons:

1. That small voice that prompts you to make these promises is your divine angel rooting for your success – failing to act and get done what you’ve committed to doing is refusing to listen to your guardian angel. Therefore, you end up missing out on your divine connections for success;
2. Motivation always comes after you show up but not before – it is impossible that you will be motivated to do each and everything that you must do to succeed. But the moment you show up and get started, the motivation and courage to get the task accomplished almost automatically kick in. For instance, if you plan to wake up early, the secret is to jump out of bed as soon as the alarm goes off, not a minute later;
3. Success is a marathon, not an event – anybody who has succeeded in anything under the heavens has a long and painful story behind it. They kept going when they did not feel like it; they set aside discouragements from others, some close family members, friends, colleagues and even experts; they rose up again when they failed but carried on the lessons; and more importantly, they overcome their own fears and doubts. A marathon is worn from little small steps taken at a steady pace and building of internal resilience;
4. Making the choice is the most important part – failing to act on your promises to yourself is simply choosing your own failure. Your success is always a decision away –making a choice to accomplish everything that you set for yourself is setting a lifestyle of winning and the habit of getting things done. Trust me, if you get it done for yourself, you shall get it done and outstand when dealing with others in the marketplace, community or in your social forums;
5. Every single step taken moves you a step away from your point of stagnation and takes you closer to your destination –the fulfilment of your goals and dreams. There simply is no other path to great success than taking those little small steps, each at a time. The more you leave unfulfilled promises to yourself, the further away you depart from your flight path to greatness. Ultimately, years later you find yourself in a destination you can’t understand how you got there, and sometimes too late to set your sails into the correct flight path.

Always bear this in mind: the many who depart life under the sun in regrets had a life just like we have now. It is equally true for those who leave behind great success and a life of consequence. It all boils down to the small choices that you are making every single day.