We often go out of our way to fulfill the promises we make to others. If we say we’ll help a friend move or meet a deadline at work, we usually follow through. But when it comes to the promises we make to ourselves—like waking up early, finishing a task, eating healthier, or working on a dream—we tend to delay, ignore, or simply give up. We don’t take them seriously because we think we won’t let anyone else down. But in reality, we’re letting down the most important person—ourselves.

Imagine someone wants to become a writer. They promise themselves they’ll write every morning for an hour. The first few days go well, but soon they start skipping days. They get busy, distracted, or tired. Weeks pass and the habit fades. Now think—if they had promised a friend to help with a project every morning, wouldn’t they have shown up, no matter what? The difference lies in the respect we give to our own commitments.

When you start showing up for yourself, you begin to grow. You begin to believe in yourself. You earn your own respect. And once that happens, everything changes—from how you see the world to how the world sees you.