Many people make bold promises in moments of excitement. But when the passion fades, only a few stay true to what they said they would do. That, according to leadership consultant Dr. Samuel N. Jacobs-Abbey, is where true character is revealed.
In his latest reflection titled “The Sacred Art of Keeping Your Word,” Dr. Jacobs-Abbey argues that commitment is not about the promise itself but the perseverance required to fulfill it. He notes that every worthwhile pursuit reaches a point where inspiration dries up and the work ahead feels heavier than expected.
“Commitment means staying loyal to what you said you were going to do, long after the mood you said it in has left you,” he emphasizes.
Dr. Jacobs-Abbey compares this to a farmer sowing seeds. With every season comes different challenges, yet the farmer keeps tending the fields because the harvest depends on discipline, not emotion. Growth, he explains, rewards consistency.
He believes modern society is full of people who start projects with excitement, but far fewer push through discomfort and doubt to finish them. The difference between ordinary and extraordinary, he says, is the ability to hold steady when motivation disappears.
“Your dreams do not care how you feel today,” he writes. “Your goals are not moved by temporary discomfort. The person you promised to become is waiting on the other side of your faithfulness.”
For Dr. Jacobs-Abbey, honoring your commitments—even privately, even when no one is watching—is an act of integrity. It builds trust, strengthens character, and shapes a person into someone whose word truly matters.
He calls this journey a test of transformation. The real growth, he argues, happens in quiet and unglamorous moments: early mornings, late nights, and the spaces in between when quitting feels much easier.
“The world is full of people who start,” he writes. “It is starving for people who finish.”
His message challenges readers to examine the promises they have made—to themselves, to others, and to their future. The rewards, he says, belong to those who keep going when enthusiasm has gone quiet.
In a world quick to chase excitement but slow to honor commitment, Dr. Jacobs-Abbey’s message is a reminder that keeping our word is more than a task. It is a sacred discipline that shapes who we become.