It's not about meaning well. It's about doing well.
You said you were going to take care of it. You said it would be done by the deadline. You told them not to worry about it. Maybe you even made plans in your head. You set aside the time. You had every intention of doing it.
But what happened? You got distracted. You fell prey to perfectionism. You weren't feeling it. Whatever it was, you procrastinated. You didn't do it. You let it make you a liar.
Two Stoic virtues are at play here: discipline and justice. We give our word to someone, or to ourselves. Do we have the willpower to keep it? Do we have the honour to keep it? Or do we let things get in the way, make excuses and fail to take seriously the fact that others are counting on us?
Cato and Marcus Aurelius took this commitment more seriously than any of the Stoics. They did what they said. They kept their end of the bargain, even when it was hard and even when they were tired. Even, as Marcus writes, when they were cold, and whether it was appreciated or not.
Courage and wisdom come into play too. Do we push through the discomfort of difficult tasks and conversations? Do we manage our time well? Do we understand our limits and ask for help when we need it? Do we follow through when the path gets hard, or retreat into easier activities and distractions?
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That's what virtue is about. Showing up. Being consistent. Doing the thing. Because you said you would.
Become a person of your word. Don't let distractions or excuses make you a liar. Fulfil your commitments, keep your promises and honour your word.
TRY THIS TODAY
List every promise you've made this week, big or small. Keep the next one on the list today, or tell the person honestly when you will.
Much of what I've learned about Stoicism comes from Ryan Holiday. Find more of his writing at dailystoic.com and ryanholiday.net.
While I have edited much of this content, there are some cases where I have taken Ryan Holiday's words directly. I've included them because I think they are powerful and will be helpful for you. They are also helpful for me, and I've put them here so I can learn and understand more myself.
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