Be Impeccable with your Word

Developing a high Do/Say ratio starts with being deliberate and very intentional about what you say. That is why this month we begin a brief overview of the key principles in The Four Agreements by don Miguel Ruiz and the first Agreement: ‘Be Impeccable with your Word’.

Being impeccable with your word is not just suggesting you need flawless grammar, although skill in that area as well as a large vocabulary will certainly help. The guidance is to speak with integrity and say only what you mean. Clichés (‘it’s a win –win’ or ‘let’s talk later’) and filler phrases (‘I’ll have it to you soon’) are often spoken with little thought and consequently do not fully convey an accurate meaning or mutual understanding. Gossip or even speaking about others when they are not present takes you away from integrity. Likewise self-deprecating remarks hurt others, as well as yourself, because they are not accurate and diminish perceptions others have of you.

It is not easy to develop the practice of being impeccable with your word but it will have the biggest influence on improving your Do/Say ratio. Keep letting us know how it works for you.