Have you ever had someone promise that they would do something that they never followed through on? Or maybe someone told you they cared for you only to treat you like you don’t matter? A person’s words fall flat when their actions don’t match what they claim. The truth is, you only truly know where a person’s intentions and heart lie when you see them follow through on their word.
This quote has resonated with me throughout the years. I wrote about it previously in another post, about a year ago. I thought it wouldn’t hurt to clarify and elaborate on why we must always trust actions over words.
Words Lack Confirmation
The problem with words is that they lack confirmation. Someone can give you their word, meaning that they claim they will do something or that they feel a certain way, but act in a way that completely goes against what they claimed.
For example, a person could claim that they will be on time for a work meeting but show up 20 minutes late making an excuse as to why they are late.
Trust needs to be earned, and it can only be earned by following through on the promises you make.
Actions Demonstrate Intentions
Where words fall short, actions speak very clearly. You can learn a lot about a person by the way they treat others, the things they spend their time doing, and how they react in certain situations.
For example, if a person opens doors for you, smiles at you, goes out of their way to make you happy, and works hard to get to know you, you can clearly see that they care for you. On the other hand, if a person only talks about themself, only does what they want to do without concern for you, shows up late, and cancels dates, they clearly have a strong disregard for you and your wellbeing.
It All Comes Down to Reliability
Reliability is an important trait to have. Being a reliable person means that a person acts in accordance with what they say. They are trustworthy, dependable, honest, and they follow through on their commitments. Reliable people enjoy the following benefits:
- Have a clear conscious because they completed their commitments.
- People trust them with more responsibility and freedom.
- They have better relationships because people value their reliability.
- They enjoy promotions at work because their company trusts them to get work done.
- They feel better knowing that they are trustworthy and follow through on their word.
- They improve their skills and talents by putting in the work.
How To Be Reliable
Some people are naturally reliable, but most of us aren’t born with natural reliability. However, there are some actions we can take to improve how reliable we are.
Think Before You Commit
Sometimes we make commitments that we can’t follow through on. When we overcommit, we set ourselves up for failure. When you are about to make a promise to someone, consider how likely you are to follow that promise through to completion and adjust your commitment accordingly.
Accept Challenges
While you should avoid overcommitting, you shouldn’t avoid making commitments in general. Saying no to everything doesn’t make you reliable. You need to accept some challenges to work towards being reliable.
Plan for Your Commitments
When you have made a commitment, you need to plan for how you are going to get that task done. Write down when you are going to spend time on the task, what steps you need to complete to finish the task, and plan to complete it all before the designated deadline.
Be Honest
There are always situations and circumstances that can get in the way of finishing your commitments. When that happens, don’t make excuses. Be honest about what is preventing you from finishing the task and give the person a heads up before the deadline if possible.
Following through on your word is valuable in any romantic relationship, friendship, familial relationship, and work relationship. Remember to always make sure that your actions reflect your words.
