Wisdom-Trek / Creating a Legacy

Welcome to Day 469 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.

This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom

Truth Matters

Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 469 of our trek, and today is Motivation Monday. Every Monday we hike the trails of life that will encourage and motivate us to live rich and satisfying lives this week. Today let us explore the trail called “Truth Matters.”

We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. Our weekend of outdoor work with the leaves and fallen limbs continues as does the indoor unpacking of our Charlotte household. These tasks will certainly keep us busy for several weeks to come. To tell the truth, it is an enjoyable respite from my focused computer-based work. Being involved in difficult physical labor allows my mind to reenergize and focus on long-term life plans. Speaking of telling the truth, something seems not to matter during an election process. I firmly believe and am convinced that truth does matter. As we break camp and head out on our trek for today, keep these words in your mind…

Truth Matters

Do you think before you make a promise to someone? What if you can’t deliver on your word? Does it really matter? Well, actually no, but have you considered the actual consequences?

Many people are pretty casual about making promises. As a result, promises are frequently made at the drop of a hat with no real intention of keeping them. “Let’s do lunch,” “I’ll call you later,” and “I’ll be there in five minutes” are all examples of throwaway promises that are frequently made but seldom kept. However, this casual attitude can have real consequences.

When you break a promise, no matter how small it may seem to you, alarm bells aren’t going to go off, but it can damage a relationship or your reputation. Think about it. When someone else breaks a promise to you or you catch them in a lie, doesn’t that make you feel violated or cheated? You can’t help wondering whether you were wrong to ever trust that person.

Getting away with a lie can also be dangerous because it fools liars into believing they’re invincible and that they have little chance of getting caught. Before you know it, lying can become a habit, forcing liars to spend precious time and energy keeping their stories straight. Once others learn about the lies, some people may forgive, but they surely won’t forget.

· Promise to Tell the Whole Truth

A promise is a promise. Some folks apply a rating scale, believing that breaking a big promise is inexcusable while a small one is acceptable. That’s simply false. While breaking a big promise, such as failing to repay borrowed money, can torpedo a relationship, reneging on promises, such as being on time, casts doubt on future behavior.

Remember, trust is built through a series of experiences shared with others. When behavior is consistent, faith in the relationship develops. When promises are broken or people are misled, the bonds of trust are breached.

Broken promises imply that the offenders either didn’t think before making the promises or don’t care that they’ve let you down. They’re also implying that their needs are more important than yours. So, be careful about the promises that you make and with whom you make them. Here are some practical tips to consider.

Never promise the moon. If you can’t keep a promise, don’t make it. For example, you may not be able to guarantee someone a five percent investment return, but you can show them your track record and promise them that you’ll work hard on their behalf. Another simple example is you can’t guarantee that you’ll arrive in two hours, but you can promise that you’re going to leave at 10 am. In other words,