I was reminded of a really awesome quote today by James Altucher:
OVER PROMISE AND OVER DELIVER
Over-promise sets you apart from the people who under-promise. Over-deliver sets you apart from people who just delivered.
It’s not that hard to do both. (It’s easy to slightly over promise and slightly over deliver because nobody else is doing it).
Try it and you will see the results. it’s amazing.
I believe the over promise, over deliver mentality is the only thing you need to be successful. Too many people are taught the adage “Under promise, over deliver,” but that teaches you the wrong mentality. Under promising is similar to not taking risks (see yesterday’s post on risk-taking). If you don’t over promise then you’re not expanding your mindset, you’re merely locking yourself into something you know you’re capable of doing.
What I find exceptionally interesting about Altucher’s phrase to OVER PROMISE AND OVER DELIVER are the results that follow. So many people in the world take the “under promise” approach, that the few people who over promise actually make a profound impact.
Whether you’re trying to impress your boss, improve client relations, or help an employee get out of a jam, over promising and over delivering is the quickest way to create a connection. It immediately shows you’re a) willing to take go the extra step b) you’re committed to the person’s problems and c) you’re interested in a genuine/authentic relationship. All of those are fundamental to being successful at your job, and all of those are on full display when you have an over promise, over deliver mentality.