Actions vs. Words
What you do completely overrides what you say. Always. No exceptions.
Some of my students learn this the hard way. They tell their parents they’re somewhere, get caught somewhere else (and it’s usually a really bad place to be caught), and then can’t figure out why their parents have a hard time believing what they say any more.
One of my fellow teachers has hopefully figured this out, blowing his own credibility more than once now on the strangest mismatch of words and actions I’ve ever seen.
It’s easy to say something. Politicians do it every single day. Most people do it every day, actually. It’s far harder to follow through, to do what you’ve said you’re going to do.
It’s even harder to get your words and your actions to come into agreement when you don’t believe in your words.
Start by being honest with yourself. Is what you’re about to say really in line with your current capabilities, with your beliefs and values? If it’s not, then don’t say it. You’ll earn and keep more people’s respect that way.
