Life is cluttered with so many unfulfilled promises, some are intentional, some are not.
In the wake of all these disappointments lies a myriad of distrust and marred integrities. I've been a victim and also a culprit. I've made promises I couldn't fulfill and I've been promised great things that never came to pass. Having had a fair share of both scenarios I came to finalize that in every case of an unfulfilled pledge there's always a victim to cry foul and a culprit with a justifiable excuse for failing and ofcourse trust is the endangered virtue. The table keeps turning as a culprit today might be a victim tomorrow and vice versa.

In our relationships between our mortal likes and our Supreme Immortal above which is God, a certain degree of trust is required to maintain the rapport from its incipience. Psychology says that every human has one trust allocated to every other human it has a relationship with and once it's broken there's no reserved or spare trust left. This postulate could be true for some and untrue for others, some never trust again while some continue anyway and apply caution which apparently indicates uncertainty. The numbered subheadings below would save your integrity a lot more than you think. If you really want to keep promises follow these rules.

1. DON'T PROMISE AT ALL

Yea, don't promise at all. Asides the damaged trust you've earned yourself with people, you're invariably a liar. You can evade promises by inserting statements like "let's see how it goes" or "I'll try my best but not an assurance". Whoever is the recipient of any of these sentences is already contemplating alternatives and substitutes in your stead. If the person still decides to have a fait accompli on you, then the game is on him, but at least you've raised a flag of uncertainty exonerating yourself of the aftermath beforehand. Even the Bible encouraged a sealed lip rather than uttering vows you know are beyond your redemption.

2. LEAVE FAITH OUT OF IT

Oftentimes we make promises and leave it at the feet of faith, especially when it has to do with hard currencies. "I'll make sure that by the end of this year every kid gets a free iPad " and then you go to bed with a faith that everything will pan out well and money will be attracted to you like little helpless pins in the face of a magnet. That's downright silly. What if life knocks you down with one it's evil trucks and you're financially bankrupt. You have a host of kids on your tail demanding for their pads. Such promises hold a special abode in their hearts and of course you are in trouble. Be at least 90% certain of the available resources you have to pull off any big project before spilling out. Most people will never understand the obstacles you encountered after making the troth because some of them aren't even close to you. To them you're just one of those promise-and-fail deceptive humans.

3. SET A REMINDER

We're always engulfed in life's numerous entanglements and necessities and it's not out of place for one to just make a commitment and dump it in the cloud of oblivion. These reminders are programmed to poke you daily of the pledge you made, the device can never forget its daily task. A constant poking creates that consciousness of your vows and as such you'll strive to get that part of your business done and dusted. Reminders could be set on almost anything, it could be that laundry you promised your Dad, that trip to the grocery store for your Mum, that promise to fix a damaged item for a friend, that promise to make an inquiry for someone in a distant city about something he needs in your city. Anything fella, just set the damn reminder. Most times having the resources to redeem promises is not the problem, forgetting is.



4. MAKE SACRIFICES

So you made the promise out of pride cos everyone has done so and your ego and dignity is at stake crying out for salvation. Beautiful, it's not that bad, sacrifice your time or money to present you as a faithful fella. Whatever circumstances that left you choiceless but to pledge either in a relationship, church, social setting, name it, always try your best and go out of your way to fulfill it. Doing this raises your credibility bar and forces everyone to cut you large slacks in a case where you were unable to fulfil another pledge on schedule. That level of trust so built keeps their hopes high on you, knowing that just as destiny as you are, maybe delayed but can't be denied. Trust humans, they will sing praise songs to your reliability which will place you in a spot where doing otherwise rather than fulfilling a vow is never an option.

5. STRIVE TO BE RICH

The rich deliver on the spot, there's no need for the i-will-do-this phrases. There's always a check at pockets reach to scribble out the bucks. The only exception to this rule is when there's a picture of an asset, say a building project in the scene, which we all know takes time but limited time anyway because of the availability of the wherewithal. For most people, money is everything and they take promises of its nature seriously. This kind may never forgive you. Hope deferred maketh the heart sick. It's right there in the Bible Proverbs 13:12 . So make more more instead of making hearts sick, make more money so you can do on the spot delivery, make more money so even your promises will be respected and held in high regard. If Dangote, Otedola, Elumelu and their likes tell you they'll do something good for you especially when it has to do with money, all you need to do is to go home and be happy and pray nothing changes their mind.

FINAL NOTE

THE world would be a better place filled with harmonious ecstasies if we all try to keep promises made. The first class culprits of this social misdemeanor are our politicians. In a bid to entice and win the hearts of electorates, they spill vacuum pledges in return for numerous chants, praises and franchises in their favor. I've never seen anything so beautiful in politics than a smug face of a politician at the end of his tenure on a billboard with the inscription "A Promise Kept " and a photo montage of his legacies and achievements. One Governor in Nigeria comes to mind. A reputation is built on solid rocks. Trust is earned. Everyone is Happy. I rest my case here.