promises

Promises are an interesting idea. specifically promises to ones self.

I believe if you make a promise you dammed well better do everything in your power to fulfill such a promise. This is just part of the definition of a promise. If not, then the promise is empty words

Now when I make a promise to a friend, i always keep it(unless that is something completely unexpected happens preventing me from taking that action). The one thing that will stop me from doing what I promised would be if the friend told me they did not want me to do it anymore. And this leads me to a crucial part of what a promise is: it is something you decide to do for someone. "I promise" does not exist, only "I promise you" exists (given the you can be implied). With this in mind, once that someone decides they do not want something to be done for them the promise is nullified. 

Now then is it even possible to make a promise to ones self. why not? "I" can exist as the subject and object of the promise. There is however one problem: if i promise myself something, at any moment, I might change my mind, I might decide i do not want that action to be done and as a result nullify the original promise. Add to this the fact that we are constantly changing our minds and a promise to oneself can hardly last longer than a day. Is it then even possible to sustain a promise to ones self? Theoretically yes, if you can continually reaffirm the state you were in when you made the promise you should be able to keep it. This can be done by continual measurement of your state. Practically no, I have tried this and failed time after time. I cannot keep a promise i make toward myself. Eventually a time comes when I decide my former self was a fool.

So whats to be done now that i know i cannot keep a promise to myself. The obvious answer is don't make them. I don't like that answer. Think about the power of being able to promise yourself something. you will gain the ability to rely on yourself. The ability to decide to do something and do it.

Thus far I have failed in all my attempts at a self promise, but with this blog i have a new idea. I can use this blog as a way make promises to myself that are also promises to the world. I know myself well enough to know i can keep promises i make to others, thus by converting a promise to myself to a promise to others I should be able to keep it.

Heres to hope.