The 4 Agreements

Written By Don Miguel Ruiz

Don Miguel Ruiz’s “The 4 Agreements” expresses that always doing your best and not taking anything personally are important keys to successfully being persistent. A big part of being persistent is trying your best despite the challenges you face. Doing your best is important because “If you do less than your best, you subject yourself to frustrations, self-judgment, guilt, and regrets”(77). It is hard to give your best to something when you do not believe in it or are frustrated by the barriers preventing you from accomplishing your goals. When people criticize your work It is important to not take it personally because it is about you and not your work. “When you take things personally, then you feel offended, and your reaction is to defend your beliefs and create conflict. You make something big out of so something little, because you have the need to be right and make everybody else wrong” (50). A lot of times when you get feedback professionally the person may not know you on a personal level and their criticism has nothing to do with you. You should never internalize criticism. You should address it and see if you want to apply the feedback, but if you do not it is important to let the criticism float by.