如果你承諾某事，不要在最後一分鐘取消

我們都時不時地過度承諾自己。然後，因為我們感到不知所措，我們在最後一分鐘取消或退出。感覺沒什麼大不了的——每個人都這麼做，對吧？但是不履行你的承諾，不管是通過不斷重新安排會議時間還是在你說願意的時候不回復別人，都會削弱你的可信度。

尊重你的承諾，只做對你知道你能做的事情說“是”。

如果你對某個請求不確定，請找時間思考問題。練習說“不”，這樣你就可以在需要的時候拒絕某人了。（想想你怎樣才能委婉而坦率地拒絕，然後大聲說出來，直到他們覺得舒服為止。）

通過深思熟慮和誠實地評估你提出的要求，你可以保護你的排程和你的聲譽。

If You Commit to Something, Don’t Cancel at the Last Minute

We all overcommit ourselves from time to time. And then, because we feel overwhelmed, we cancel or back out at the last minute. It feels like no big deal — everybody does it, right? But not following through on your commitments, whether by constantly rescheduling meetings or by failing to get back to people when you say you will, erodes your trustworthiness.

Honoring your commitments begins with saying yes only to things you know you can do.

If you’re unsure about a request, ask for time to think things over. And practice saying no so that you’ll be ready to turn someone down when needed. (Think about how you can tactfully but frankly refuse, and then say the words out loud until they feel comfortable.)

By thoughtfully — and honestly — assessing the requests that come your way, you can protect both your schedule and your reputation.