Keeping My Word

I had some uncomfortable feelings come up a few weeks ago.

I started thinking about the very long list of projects that I’ve “committed” to. Things that I have started and not finished. Business relationships that I don’t feel very strongly about. My career transition and what that’s going to mean.

The difficult character flaw that I recognized is that I’m a very enthusiastic “Yes Man” at the beginning of a project.

I’m the guy that gets other people excited and says “Yes, we can do this!” I promise people the moon and the stars. Everyone says “That’s great, let’s do it!”

And then…

I realize I don’t have the time, or the energy. Or a project is not turning out to be what I initially imagined. I start to fizzle.

Instead of admitting my error of judgement, however, I keep up the positive demeanor. I nod and say “You bet! This is going to be great!”

I can only keep up the facade for so long. Slowly, I stop becoming excited. I start dreading it. I don’t want to be a part of it anymore.

I also don’t want to have an awkward conversation with the people I “committed” to. But it has to happen, because as an executive once told me:

“Bad news doesn’t get better”

Ultimately I’ll speak to the people involved in the situation.

Going forward I need to be cautious about decision making, because I want to be a man of integrity.

I want to be a man who can deliver on his word.

(By the way Rick Warren covers several of these topics when it comes to decision making and knowing if an idea is truly God inspired.  A great resource when you seem to be at a crossroads)