I have this mascara called “Better Than Sex” by Too Faced.
A lot of my friends told me it is the best mascara they have ever worn, so I bought it.
I wore it the first day and I was pumped about how my lashes looked. I mean, I can’t say if it lived up to the name, but it was great mascara. Well, I thought it was great mascara.
A few hour into my day, the mascara started to flake all over my face.
My elation quickly turned to disappointment.
I then realized that my disappointing mascara is a great analogy for talking about people.
I can meet someone and think they are the greatest. Their first impression wins me over, and I am an instant fan.
Then the first time they are supposed to show up for a meeting with me, they bail. Ouch. Still, it’s ok. People make mistakes.
It is when that process continues itself that that person earns themselves the label “flaky.”
Flaky people, just like flaky mascara, are super frustrating.
I don’t want to depend one, and I don’t want to be one.
So, how do we use our time effectively so that we don’t earn that ugly label?
Well, for starters, continue to focus on those schedules we talked about. Budget time and put EVERY appointment into the schedule. By doing so you won’t have conflicts surprise you or be forced to bail on people.
Also, set reminders. Something might be in your calendar, but if you don’t have something to call your attention to your next commitment it is easy to get consumed in the daily shuffle. You need more than your alarm in the morning (that you shouldn’t snooze) to be your alert for the day. Maybe you are the type of person who needs one 15 minutes before, or maybe you need seven throughout the day. Either way, don’t skip this step. It will save you from the “flaky” label.
Another way to avoid the label is to remember to say “no” to the wrong things and “yes” to the right things. If you have read this blog for any time at all, you have already heard that philosophy. If you say yes to things that aren’t important or to things that don’t excite you, the odds of you flaking out are far greater. So, say “no” and maintain your integrity.
These are a few simple principles that we can follow to show people the respect and appreciation that they all deserve. Let’s be people who stick to what we say. If not we will lose our good reputations, just like my mascara did.
