Reliability
re·li·a·bil·i·ty
Being someone people can count on, especially on the ordinary days. Reliability is trust you earn quietly.
Another way of seeing it
Reliability isn't glamorous. Nobody throws a party because you turned up when you said you would. But over time, it becomes one of the most valuable things about you. In a world full of 'maybe' and 'sorry, running late', the person who simply does what they say stands out.
In relationships
Under-promise and over-deliver. It's far better to say 'Friday' and arrive Thursday than to promise Monday and keep apologising.
In the ordinary day
Look at what you've promised people this week. Deliver one of them early, or let someone know now if you can't.
A question to sit with
Who is counting on you right now, and do they know they can?
Carry this with you
Be the one who shows up.
Where it comes from
From rely, via Old French relier and Latin religare, to bind fast. Being reliable means being someone others can safely be bound to.
Try this today
Deliver one promise early, or tell someone now if you can't.
Journal prompts for Reliability
- Who is counting on me right now?
- Which promise have I been quietly letting slide?
- What do I want people to know they can always count on me for?
Did this word resonate with you today?
Know someone who might need this word?