036: The Four Agreements
BE IMPECCABLE WITH YOUR WORD. THAT IS THE FIRST AGREEMENT.
Stop gossiping, complaining, and criticizing. Your word is one of the most powerful tools you have. When was the last time you used it to bring someone up instead of gossip? When was the last time you used it to put value out into the world instead of complaining and criticizing the person who didn't? Practice being impeccable with your word.
THE SECOND AGREEMENT IS: DON'T TAKE ANYTHING PERSONALLY.
Imagine a person who hates books watches one of my videos. What's his comment going to look like? Now imagine that same person in two years; this time he's gone through a major life transformation and loves reading books. What's his comment going to look like now? But, notice how my video is the same in both cases. How people treat you is a projection of who they are. That is why it doesn't make sense to ever take anything personally.
THE THIRD AGREEMENT IS: DON'T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS.
If you're in a leadership position, you will lose all respect when something doesn't get done the way it's supposed to, and instead of having the courage and skill to communicate, you just assume things and start treating people like trash. If you had asked, who knows, you might have actually found out that the person is going through a divorce and your little task isn't really his number one priority right now. Build up the skill and the courage to communicate, and you will easily turn hatred towards you into loyalty and respect.
THE FINAL AGREEMENT IS: ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST.
Your best is going to change from moment to moment but under any circumstance, simply do your best. Nobody abuses us more than we abuse ourselves, but if we simply do our best, we can avoid all the unnecessary self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret. These are the four agreements that I constantly break, but when I do, I just say, “Okay, I broke the agreement of being impeccable with my word. I will start all over again. Today I will be impeccable with my word, I will not take anything personally, I will not make assumptions, and I will do my best.”
