YOU'RE ONLY WORTH YOUR WORD

or How To Passive-Aggressive

It’s happened relatively few times in my life (thankfully), but when it does happen, I feel annoyed, angry, and ashamed I’ve fallen for it.

I also feel astonished (pretty great alliteration, eh?) that the repercussions are seemingly always ignored.

In this age of video meetings, emails and texts, it’s easy to feel our interactions are clinical and impersonal.
It can all feel arms-length and somehow lower stakes.

Of course, it is not.

Every message between two people is a message between two… people.

The technology may have changed, the methods may have changed, but it’s still essentially the same as looking someone in the eye and shaking their hand.

If you promise something to someone and then treat that promise as unimportant or non-binding without excuse or dialogue… you will take a hit for it.

When your word becomes meaningless, you lose social currency in every interaction.

That makes almost all aspects of life more difficult.
Done enough, it also precedes you in eventually every relationship.

Life happens and circumstances change, we all know this.
When things come up that impede staying true to your word and they are honestly addressed, your word retains its value.

People purchase your word with their trust.
If they find out they’ve spent their trust on nothing, they will tell others and do all they can to assure others don’t fall for the ruse as well.

Eventually, you run out chances and your word becomes… worthless.

You’re only worth your word.

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(Pictured: Author looks pleased with himself for staying true to his word by only having one muffin for breakfast)