You wouldn’t rely on the promise of promptness from someone who is always late. You can’t rely on the promise of payment from someone who is always broke. 你不会依赖一个总是迟到的人对你的及时承诺。你不会相信一个总是没钱的人的付款承诺。

A promise that’s easy to make is just as easy to break. Certainly words have meaning, but actions mean a whole lot more. 承诺容易，食言同样容易。言辞固然重要，但行动更重要。

When a promise sounds too good to be true, that’s exactly what it is. Just because you want to believe it, doesn’t change the reality. 当一个承诺听起来好得不像真的时候，它就是真的。你愿意相信，并不能改变现实。

It can be tempting to depend on empty promises from others, and even from yourself. What’s better, though, is to hold out and insist on proven competence and reliability. 依赖他人甚至自己的空洞承诺是很诱人的。不过，最好的办法是坚持到底，坚持自己的能力和可靠性。

A promise has great value when it comes from someone with a long history of reliability. So before you consider the promise, carefully consider the source. 如果承诺来自一个长期可靠的人，那么它就具有很高的价值。因此，在考虑承诺之前，请仔细考虑其来源。

When you hear a promise, put in the diligence to be sure it means something. When you give a promise, put in the work to make sure it happens. 当你听到一个承诺时，请努力确保它是有意义的。当你许下诺言时，要努力确保它实现。

— Ralph Marston - 拉尔夫-马斯顿