Why Follow through is so important in everything you do
How long do you usually last before your new year’s resolutions go out the window? If you’re like most others, not long. Here’s the thing though. New Year’s resolutions may be cute and may not mean that much, but the sentiment of following through on that promise IS very important.
That commitment you’ve made says something about you.
Follow through can mean a lot of things. Here are 4 reasons why it’s important to do things we’ve promised.
1. Integrity
How much does your word mean to you? When it comes to things like promising to finish a job or setting a goal to send out so many resumes, your word is all you’re worth. If you have a habit of failing to follow through then that’s how you will be known.
2. Trustworthy
Right along with having integrity is being reliable and trustworthy. Your follow through is a reflection of how well you will work. An employer wants to know you can accomplish the goals set out before you. They are hard-pressed to give tasks to people they can’t trust.
3. Respect
After you fail to follow through a few times, it starts to show how much respect you have for a person. Unfortunately, that lack of respect is reciprocal and eventually no one will care for you enough to support you.
4. Self-worth
It’s a quick spiral downward as people lose respect and trust for us and we start to lose respect for ourselves. We run the risk of losing our self-worth.
How to increase our follow through
If follow through is how you earn trust with others, achieving what you’ve promised is a measure of your credibility and in the end, it shows how well you will do as a leader. An annual promise to lose five pounds or cut out sugar isn’t going to be enough to hone those skills however. You need a concerted effort to establish the skills to boost your follow through.
Smaller goals
Breaking your larger goals into smaller, more achievable goals will make it easier to establish your follow through. Things won’t seem as daunting at the outset and you’ll get more done.
Envision the end goal
Do you know what you win when you achieve your goals? It could be a job, a higher salary, a reference from a respected colleague. Envisioning the end goal will keep you focused on achieving it.
Know your limits
Although you should always be pushing your limits, you can’t do so without knowing what they are. By understanding what you’re capable of, you won’t promise the moon knowing you can’t achieve it.
Hold yourself more accountable
It’s often the case that people don’t respect the goal they’ve established. If it doesn’t mean anything to you then you won’t care if you follow through or not. Holding yourself accountable will take you down a path where you achieve more of your promises.
Establish Consequences
Another way to make the promise more meaningful is to set consequences for failure. Perhaps you start small with a jar for coins when you miss your goals. You can also go with a larger consequence like a public promise or a fine if you fail. What matters is that you establish something that will have meaning to you if it’s taken away then subconsciously you will work towards your goals.
The importance of follow through
Your follow through is a reflection of your character. If you want to be known as the person people rely on then make sure to keep your promises. Not only will your professional life benefit, but so too will your personal one. You will find more opportunities are presented to you and you’ll begin to feel better about yourself.
What’s your favourite way to establish your follow through?