Four Agreements to Enhance Productivity, Grow and Live By
Here are four agreements…with yourself and others.
When Don Miguel Ruiz wrote his book titled The Four Agreements, I think it would have been fair to say that he could not have imagined how profound his writings would be.
Without getting too much into the history behind the Toltec Spirit and pursuing one’s own personal path to freedom, I have outlined the Agreements and how their application many years ago still hold true today.
I have chosen to list them in order of importance to how they came into my life, how they have stayed in my life, and how they continue to repeat in my life still today. Their concepts are all very simple truths but can sometimes be very challenging to apply and maintain.
Still, we try, everyday to do our best, never making any assumptions, or taking anything personally.
Here are my personal take and impressions of the four agreements:
1. Don’t Make Assumptions
Like that old saying goes…”When you assume, you make an a*s out of you and me.”
This is so true in all aspects of life. I can clearly recall numerous arguments I have had where what started as a simple discussion of differences evolved into outride arguments. So much was the heated discussion that by the time we was done, we didn’t even recall what the original fight was even about.
Does this sound familiar to you?
It could have been something as small as a compliment made to you where you felt the tone was not to your liking and so you “assumed” it was meant as a “dig”. Instead, look to the light and don’t allow negative thoughts and self -doubt to make more out of things. Always remember to ask clarifying questions before just assuming.
2. Don’t Take Anything Personally.
Taking things personally may sound a lot like making assumptions, but it is different.
Remember, the danger in taking things personally is that when you do this you bring attention to yourself…good attention as well as bad attention. The thought that the world revolves around you and that everyone and everything has to do with you can be very exhausting.
The moment in life when you realize how small and insignificant, yet how valuable we each are in this great big world is the day you begin to find the “why” behind your worth. As Mark Twain said, “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.”
So when you hear a statement that feels like something “personal”, take a moment and a breath, step back and pause. It was probably not meant for you.
3. Be Impeccable With Your Word.
My mother would often say that she was not a woman of financial wealth but what she did have was her word, grace, and integrity.
“Mean what you say and say what you mean” is something we would all like to strive for. It takes discipline, courage, and confidence to stick with your word once it is spoken. Being impeccable with your word is a lifetime process and a work in progress for most of us.
We all fail at it but the attempt has merit and so it makes it worth trying.
4. Always Do your Best.
I always say, “We do better when we know better, and I just hope I know better” Striving and raising the bar for quality and expecting more from ourselves is the key here.
Whether it is making a sandwich for your daughter or 6-course meal for a special guest, the quality of the drive getting it done should still be the same. Always raising the bar and expecting more from yourself will naturally create a platform which will yield you a better result in the end.
Recognize that “our best” has levels depending on where we are in life and that sometimes we have highs and lows. Our self judgments should not be reflections of our self-worth so sometimes small amounts of success might be the best we can offer which might be in essence the best we have at the moment.
So although these Four Agreements may be old, they are fundamental truths to daily living. I have found them useful and they keep me inline and honest to my own truths. Not taking things personally, not making assumptions, always doing my best and trying to keep my word is hard but trying every day is key.
So follow these truths or find your own to follow, but have an agreement with yourself either way.
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