Learning From Broken Promises.

Promises are meant to be fulfilled, so we must think deeply before making them. I believe it’s easy to say I’ll do this or that, but keeping promises can be tedious, and that's why every individual has lots of unfulfilled promises.

Breaking promises feels like a normal thing now, and there are different reasons why it happens. There are those who break promises intentionally, while others do so unintentionally—life happens, and that’s just it.

As kids, we’d say, “A promise is a debt,” when someone made a promise to us, and it’s true—it’s a debt until fulfilled.

Many of us eventually choose to stop making promises we can’t keep after different experiences of breaking promises. I know how it feels when someone promises me and doesn't fulfill it; I usually don't feel happy about it, and that's how the people we break our promise to also feel.

I’m guilty of breaking promises and forgetting many I’ve made. Yesterday, my younger sibling called about a July promise I couldn’t recall. I pretended to remember, and my wife’s intervention helped. She asked why I forgot something from last week, and I laughed—if I could open my head, she’d see that promise I made wasn’t on my mind.

It's a common thing for us to forget or overlook some promises, especially the small ones, when pressing issues arise. We think they’re minor, but they mean a lot to the recipient. I think it’s impossible to keep every promise. Unforeseen events occur, and that’s where communication matters. Telling someone plans changed saves them stress, and they can put their hope elsewhere.

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In 2022, a former colleague contacted me. He had gotten dispatch bikes and needed riders, knowing I’d worked with some. I promised to find riders, and he trusted me to deliver good ones. Most guys I knew had jobs, but I found one, got his CV, and my colleague let me handle the interview. The CV was great, so I said I’d send it to the guy on Monday since it was the weekend already.

Upon rechecking the CV, I noticed a company where a friend was a bike supervisor. I asked about the guy (job applicant), and my friend cursed. He reminded me of a story he told me about someone who stole two company devices. With the discovery, I told the applicant the job was filled already because I didn't want any trouble. The only thing I did wrong was not informing my colleague about the latest development.

Monday came, and work kept me very busy; I missed calls and texts from my colleague. At noon, I saw them and felt bad. I called back and explained everything that happened. He knew I broke the promise for a good reason, but he was upset I hadn’t spoken sooner. He had planned a delivery, which would serve as a test ride. I felt terrible for not communicating earlier, and he managed the delivery himself.

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Breaking promises inconveniences others. We shouldn’t commit to what we can’t do just to impress or win someone's heart. It's very possible to help people without making promises, and that feels like the best of options to me. Just do what you can when you can without promising to, so even when you can't, there won't be any hard feelings.

Breaking promises is a debt that dents our reputation because when it becomes too much, we lose too much trust. Forgetful people like me can always set reminders right after promising to avoid such lapses and maintain trust with others.

_{All Image Are Mine.}