Can I Count On You?

One of the most important qualities for success is dependability.

If I cannot count on you to do what you say you’re doing to do, then I cannot trust you. And if I cannot trust you, I am not going to do business with you.

People do business with people they trust.

Trust is the foundation for any relationship including partnerships, friendships, even romantic relationships. Without trust, you waste precious time and emotional resources worrying about what a person will do. Suspicion and concern causes anxiety and stress. The time you spend worrying could be time spent doing your genius work, making money, making a difference in someone’s life, or just having fun.

Trust is a relationship of reliance where I believe that you will fulfill your promise.

The two other elements of trust as identified by Julio Olalla of the Newfield Network are sincerity and competence. In other words, it’s not enough for you to follow through; you must be someone I feel is truthful and honest and you need to be competent in the work you perform. (At the very least, you’re competent. Excellence is better.)

How can you learn to build your dependability muscle? Here are some steps to take starting today:

1) Deal with what’s on your plate now.

List your current projects. What projects must you do yourself and which projects could you delegate to someone else? The less you have on your plate, the easier it will be to complete everything within an appropriate timeframe. In order to gain control over your schedule and your time, and to appropriately value your talents and skills, you have to decide which to-dos you need to complete, which can (should) be delegated, and which can be dumped. For the ones you need to complete, schedule them on your calendar and just do it. By practicing this essential skill, you improve your self-esteem, decrease your stress, and accomplish more of what is most important to you. Pay attention to the thoughts that give you a hard time. Procrastination and perfectionism, even self-doubts hold you back from being productive. They are fears, just thoughts. You are bigger than these thoughts. Choose to be in charge rather than at the mercy of your thoughts.

2) Stop saying yes!

That’s right. Whenever you are asked to take on a new project, sale, or request for your time or talents, DO NOT say yes. Not right away at least.

It’s much easier to honor your word when you’ve thought carefully about what you are promising.*

Give yourself some time to process. Is this the best use of your time and skills? Are you the best person for the job? Do you have the time and energy to complete what is necessary to fulfill the expectations by the deadline? And don’t forget to ask yourself whether you WANT to do the work. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.*

Learning to say “no” increases your self-esteem, gives you more energy, allows you to complete your other projects and frees up time for more enjoyable things. Learning to say “no” is not selfish; it’s a requirement for effective life management, increased productivity, and maximum enjoyment.*

3) Take your commitments seriously.

When you are intentional about your commitments, you’ll find that you do less and the commitments you choose are those things you want to be doing, which makes life effortless and fun. And you’ll find it easier to manage your schedule and see things through to completion.*

Each time you deliver what you commit to, you become more credible as a leader and as a person, and your word becomes more meaningful.*

Being dependable sets you apart from your competition. It is a mindset. When you focus on “being your word” you commit to taking your word seriously and doing what you say you will do. You don’t have to remember to do it; it’s who you are. And when you take yourself seriously, others will too.

Here’s to your success!

Coach Julie

*Quotes are taken from The Journey Called YOU