Promises are hard, right?

I mean, I want to promise things on a regular basis. But a lot of the time, I know that I’m not going to be able to follow through with those promises if I make them.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I don’t want to follow through, it’s that I physically can’t because I have so many other things on my plate.

I think that for most of us, we have so much going on in our daily lives that it’s really hard to follow through on promises.

What Promises Are You Not Making?

Oftentimes, we stop making promises because we know it’s going to take work to keep them.

When my kids were little, they would ask me simple things like, “Can we go to McDonald’s?”

My response would be, “Maybe tomorrow.”

I’m sure that for my kids, that “maybe” was almost certainly a yes.  

But for me, that “maybe” was important because it made me feel like I wasn’t promising something that I couldn’t fulfill.

“Maybe” meant that it wasn’t a sure thing and definitely not a promise. It was more like a no with the slight possibility of a yes if the circumstances were right.

That may sound a little silly (and maybe even ridiculous), but I would dare say that we all do this sometimes.

We don’t put ourselves out there and fully commit because we know it’s going to be challenging to make everything happen.

But what about when it comes to the promises we make to ourselves?

We Need to Make and Keep Promises to Ourselves

I’ve realized over time the importance of making promises to ourselves and keeping those promises.

My daughter, Olivia, who I host a podcast with, made a promise to herself that every morning she would make her bed.

Every time I’m in her apartment, and when we get up in the morning, her bed is immediately made. I am amazed at her commitment and how she keeps that promise to herself.

To be honest, making my bed is something I have always struggled with.

I was just never really good at making sure my bed was made. But to be fair, I don’t think I ever made that promise to myself.

I understand the idea behind it. Every time you make your bed, you are accomplishing something first thing in the morning.

And accomplishing even just that one thing will help you start your day on a positive note.

But knowing the idea behind it doesn’t make it any easier for me, and that’s okay.

The promises I make to myself don’t have to be the same as other people’s.

The promises we make to ourselves are personal and they are for our own learning and growth.

Each promise we make is a stepping stone to help us move further along in our life’s journey.

Make Promises That Are Meaningful to You

Making my bed isn’t a high priority for me, so that’s not really a promise that I’m going to make with myself.

But there are other things that are very important to me—like podcasting.

First and foremost, I have really committed to ensuring that we drop a podcast every Tuesday.

It doesn’t matter where I am. If I’m in Costa Rica or if I’m in England, wherever I am, I make sure that the podcast gets out.

Olivia and I make sure to record the podcast and upload it every Tuesday because it is a commitment I have made.

I have promised myself that we would do the podcast no matter what. And I’m willing to put in the work to make it happen.

I’m passionate about helping people, so the podcast is a big deal to me. But there are other things that I know I’m not going to commit to.

That’s because there are things that simply don’t matter to me, like making my bed. And there are other things that I just don’t have time for, so I won’t commit to them.

It’s important to understand that we can’t commit to everything, nor should we.

It’s okay to say no. But “no” shouldn’t be our only answer.

There are times when we need to commit, especially when it comes to promises we make to ourselves.

Just Commit to One Thing

There are so many things vying for our commitment. And because of this, it can be very overwhelming to make a promise to anyone.

Still, making promises to ourselves keeps us accountable and helps us follow through with important goals we want to accomplish.

Making and keeping promises to ourselves is a big deal—and it matters!

It’s what propels us toward becoming our best selves.

Keeping promises to yourself may not be easy for you, but I know you can do it.

I encourage everyone reading this to commit to just one thing.

What one promise do you want to make to yourself that you are going to commit to and follow through with?

Even just one promise can make a huge difference.

For example, you can make the promise to yourself that you are going to exercise 30 minutes a day.

Or you can promise yourself that you are going to book that vacation and actually go this time.

Perhaps you can make the promise that you are going to further your education.

Or maybe you want to start simply by promising to make your bed each morning.

Whatever it is that you want to accomplish, make the promise to yourself and then commit to it.

And remember that committing to something is an accomplishment in itself.

Whatever You Do, Do It For Yourself

I’ve been watching the Olympics, and I am in awe of the athletes who are competing.

These amazing humans have committed to sacrifice hundreds of hours to train.

They have committed to eating a healthy diet.

And they have committed to reach a certain level of athleticism that goes far beyond what most of us are willing to do.

As I watch, I keep thinking how unbelievable it is that they have accomplished what they have.

But those accomplishments began with a promise they made to themselves to reach for their dreams and unlock their potential.

They’re not doing it for the world or for anyone watching. They are doing it to be true to the commitment they made to themselves long ago.

They have worked tirelessly to be where they are today and to make their dreams a reality.

These athletes have committed themselves to something and they have done the hard work to follow through with that commitment.

In the end, when they stand with a medal in their hand, they can stand tall knowing that they kept their promise to themselves.

Follow Through—Even When It’s Hard

For most of us, having the ability to give as much commitment as an Olympian isn’t an easy thing to do.

But we don’t have to be an Olympian to keep our promises. And our promises don’t have to be an Olympic-sized promise.

In every aspect of life, you can commit to doing something.

Whether it’s making your bed, reaching out for the next speaking gig, calling your friends who you haven’t called in a while, or anything else, you are making a promise to yourself.

You are reminding yourself that you are important enough to make yourself a priority.

Every time we make a promise to ourselves and follow through with that commitment, we are showing ourselves that we matter.

I encourage you to make a promise to yourself every day and then follow through with that promise.

Every time you follow through with your promise to yourself, especially when it’s hard, you are building unshakable confidence.

And with that unshakable confidence—you can change the world.