Adding Value To Your Words

This week’s newsletter may seem like it doesn’t relate to motorcycles. But “Everything Relates”, remember that newsletter? If you need something motorcycle related RIGHT NOW, just scroll down to the bottom. This week’s topic is something that I have been adding more attention to for a while now. As I get older, I realize the list of things that I need to improve on, is ever growing. Good thing everything relates. As a matter of fact, at the very least, once a week I am working on this week’s topic. When I started this newsletter, I said I would do one a week for a year. So far, this newsletter being number 41, I have stayed true to my word. Last Tuesday I told someone that I would see them tomorrow at 10:00. Tuesday night was the bomb cyclone that wreaked havoc on Seattle’s Eastside. The next day I had to turn around so many times and find another way to their house; because of all the road closures. Did I show up at 10:00? No. At 10:00 (ok, 10:04) I sent them a text saying, “Still on my way. So many road closers” (*closures). I could’ve easily rescheduled and they would’ve understood, because there was a tree blocking most of their street, which meant I had to drive on the sidewalk to get around it. If I couldn’t physically make it to their house that would be one thing, but I said I was going to show up and did just that. Which is another penny on the scale of doing more of what I say I’m going to do.

Staying true to your word adds value to your words. If you don’t, people start rolling their eyes, and if you push even farther, then, they just start laughing. This is because people don’t believe what you say. In a sense, you are lying to yourself and everyone around you.

It’s not a binary thing when it comes to people doing, or not doing, what they say they are going to do. It’s like a potentiometer, or better yet, a dimmer switch. Some people hardly do anything they say they are going to do. And, no one has ever done everything they said they were going to do. A long time ago, if you didn’t do what you said you were going to do, it was highly frowned upon. That doesn’t seem to be the case anymore.

Remember in the movie “A Perfect World” when Butch says to Terry (who was holding a gun), “In two seconds, I'm gonna break your nose. That's a threat.” Two seconds later, Butch punches Terry, breaking his nose, then takes his gun; while Terry moans in pain. How much do you think Terry believed what Butch said, after that event? This is an extreme example between a couple of criminals. However there are civilized ways of staying true to your word without resulting in violence.

In my experience, I think highly extroverted people struggle with this, like my riding coach. Since they just can’t shut up, LOL. A better way to say it would be, they do most of their thinking out loud. Although both are true. And it is my fault for not clarifying and distinguishing which part was the thinking process and what part they actually decided they decided to do. If I was a good listener, I would repeat back to them what I thought they were trying to tell me. And start holding them accountable for the things they said they’re going to do.

It’s time to man-up and do more of what we say, or choose our words very carefully. Both are difficult. Like this morning, my wife says, “When you go out, can you get me a bag of compost so I can plant my tulips?” I said, “Yes.” It was a little inconvenient for me and she won’t have time to plant them today. But that’s not the point. The point is, I said yes. Can you imagine if I said “no”? Or, “It’s a little inconvenient for me.” So manned-up and bought her TWO bags.