I know, I know – I hate platitudes too, but this one ("actions speak louder than words") is one aphorism that I believe in wholeheartedly! Doesn't it frustrate you when people make promises and then don't back it up with actions or after the fact, say "I really wanted to <blah, blah, blah>"? I know this behavior drives me insane; I can't imagine that other people don't feel the same.
I don't have a specific story to tell... Actually, that's not true. I have hundreds of stories that I could tell, dating back to in utero promises from my parents that never happened, but I don't want to bog everyone down with minutiae or live in the past.
Here's my advice: Before you make promises that you are unwilling to backup with actions, don't bother saying the words. They end up ringing hollow and annoy the heck out of the person for whom the promise is made. My suggestion, hedge your bets. Instead of promising, say this statement instead: "I cannot promise that I will <fill in the blank>, but I will do my best to <yada, yada, yada>." See, that makes sense. Oh, and saying something after the fact is a cop out. You most likely don't mean it, so don't say it. Of course, this advice comes from someone who has been burned too many times that she takes what people promise with a grain of salt and is surprised when a person actually comes through on their promise.
Here's my advice: Before you make promises that you are unwilling to backup with actions, don't bother saying the words. They end up ringing hollow and annoy the heck out of the person for whom the promise is made. My suggestion, hedge your bets. Instead of promising, say this statement instead: "I cannot promise that I will <fill in the blank>, but I will do my best to <yada, yada, yada>." See, that makes sense. Oh, and saying something after the fact is a cop out. You most likely don't mean it, so don't say it. Of course, this advice comes from someone who has been burned too many times that she takes what people promise with a grain of salt and is surprised when a person actually comes through on their promise.
Gary Puckett and the Union Gap said it best – Don't Make Promises (That You Can't Keep) (video by me):
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