Step 19: Beyond Commitment: Making a Promise

Promise goes beyond commitment, in that the focus is more on a way of being rather than doing. Promise is a process of transforming into reality what we know in our hearts. The process of making a promise can be described in five steps:

A. Clarify one’s life vision and mission.

B. Make a declaration and promise to God and oneself to live one’s personal vision - both internally and externally.

C. Ask God for help in keeping the promise.

D. Make external choices and actions that are consistent with the vision and promise. Choose to be in each moment in a way that is consistent with your promise.

E. Internalize the vision by keeping the promise until a transformation occurs. Our vision thereby becomes who we are and how we live.

There are important reasons for making and keeping promises. Healthy relationships with self and others, self-respect, and the fruition of our own desires come from keeping promises. Failure to keep promises leads to damage to relationships, shame, and self-contempt.

Promise is not self-absorbed or selfish. It is not about creating a satisfied individual. It is about creating a better person, better relationships, and a better world. In this way, promise adds strength and deeper meaning to commitment.