--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Never make a promise that you can't…" description: "\"“Never make a promise that you can't really keep it. But if you did in any case try to keep it anyway, whatever hard, troublesome or even painful.”\" — ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f93/russ-15266_quote_never-make-a-promise-that-you-can-t-real_250438.jpg" --- # Never make a promise that you can't really keep it. But if… ![“Never make a promise that you can't really keep it. But if you did in any case try to keep it anyway, whatever hard, troublesome or even painful.” quote by Russ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f93/russ-15266_quote_never-make-a-promise-that-you-can-t-real_250438.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f93/russ-15266_quote_never-make-a-promise-that-you-can-t-real_250438.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f93/russ-15266_quote_never-make-a-promise-that-you-can-t-real_250438.jpg) > ““Never make a promise that you can't really keep it. But if you did in any case try to keep it anyway, whatever hard, troublesome or even painful.”” [Russ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russ/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A promise should only be made if you are confident you can fulfill it; otherwise, strive to keep it despite difficulty. **In simple terms:** Only promise what you can keep; try hard if you must. Key Takeaway Honor commitments, even when hard. Themes integrity commitment resilience Mood serious reflective Type advice ethical When to use this quote - personal relationships - business agreements - leadership - conflict resolution Key Concepts ethical responsibility personal discipline Questions to Reflect On - Can you realistically keep every promise you make? - What are the costs of breaking a promise? A Different Perspective Keeping a promise may cause undue stress or harm if unrealistic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Promise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promise/) ## Related quotes > [It is a very hard and troublesome thing to dispose of whole, half, and quarter-mistakes; to sift them and assign the portion of truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/it-is-a-very-hard-and-troublesome-thing-to-dispose-of-whole-half-and/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“Far too often, the best thing I can have in my hand when someone makes a promise is a really big broom so that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/far-too-often-the-best-thing-i-can-have-in-my-hand-when-someone-makes/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [Moving on is a process, you just have to promise yourself that you're really ready to let go.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author-name/moving-on-is-a-process-you-just-have-to-promise-yourself-that-you-re/) Author Name > [Sincerity is to speak as we think, to do as we pretend and profess, to perform and make good what we promise, and really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tillotson/sincerity-is-to-speak-as-we-think-to-do-as-we-pretend-and-profess-to/) [John Tillotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tillotson/) > [My all-time favourite political promise - more a boast than a promise, really - came from former Montreal mayor Jean Drapeau, who said in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-o-malley/my-all-time-favourite-political-promise-more-a-boast-than-a-promise/) [Martin O'Malley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-o-malley/) > [Much better to refuse, than to promise but never really fulfilled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innah-delos-angeles/much-better-to-refuse-than-to-promise-but-never-really-fulfilled/) [Innah Delos Angeles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innah-delos-angeles/) > [ It's been such a privilege and an honor to be writing this book \[he Pleiadian Promise\]. It's really changed my life, and it has… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-mccormick-day/it-s-been-such-a-privilege-and-an-honor-to-be-writing-this-book-he/) [Christine McCormick Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-mccormick-day/) > [As I let you in remember I'm fragile and weak and some things you say might hurt or make wounds. my heart is open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/she-s-gone/as-i-let-you-in-remember-i-m-fragile-and-weak-and-some-things-you-say/) She's\_gone > [When I make a promise to somebody and our administration makes a promise to somebody, we're going to work to deliver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-youngkin/when-i-make-a-promise-to-somebody-and-our-administration-makes-a/) [Glenn Youngkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-youngkin/) > [As a mayor, my instinct is to really think about how to get something done and not to make the promise unless you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-buttigieg/as-a-mayor-my-instinct-is-to-really-think-about-how-to-get-something/) [Pete Buttigieg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-buttigieg/) > [“We don’t know what’s going to happen, but I can make a promise to you right now. Your hand’s going to be in mine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-van-dyken/we-don-t-know-what-s-going-to-happen-but-i-can-make-a-promise-to-you/) [Rachel Van Dyken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-van-dyken/) > [You should have taken me with you," I whisper to him. Then I lean my head against his and begin to cry. In my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-lu/you-should-have-taken-me-with-you-i-whisper-to-him-then-i-lean-my/) [Marie Lu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-lu/) > [The most damaging lie and we can tell ourselves involves make a promise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mayte/the-most-damaging-lie-and-we-can-tell-ourselves-involves-make-a/) [Mayte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mayte/) > [“So you can make me promise, you shit—and I did promise you—but if you think your losing your sight is going to make me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/se-jakes/so-you-can-make-me-promise-you-shit-and-i-did-promise-you-but-if-you/) [SE Jakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/se-jakes/) > [“I could ask you to make the same promise." "What, to keep myself safe?" "No," I said. "To keep me safe. You're the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-s-dobson/i-could-ask-you-to-make-the-same-promise-what-to-keep-myself-safe-no/) Ben S. Dobson ## More by Russ > [I don't deviate - once you get validated for being you, I don't know why you would deviate. I stick to my gut and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russ/i-don-t-deviate-once-you-get-validated-for-being-you-i-don-t-know-why/) [Russ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russ/) > [“Trust is easy to give but hard to keep also it's hard to achieve but easy to lose”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russ/trust-is-easy-to-give-but-hard-to-keep-also-it-s-hard-to-achieve-but/) [Russ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russ/) > [I'm not sitting around, waiting for something to run across the Internet so I can go, 'Oh, that's what I'mma write about.' I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russ/i-m-not-sitting-around-waiting-for-something-to-run-across-the/) [Russ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russ/) > [When you're sitting in the basement trying to get on, you have no choice - you've gotta figure out how to make a song:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russ/when-you-re-sitting-in-the-basement-trying-to-get-on-you-have-no/) [Russ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russ/) > [“A full pure heart with empty pocket is much better than full pocket of money with no heart”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russ/a-full-pure-heart-with-empty-pocket-is-much-better-than-full-pocket/) [Russ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russ/) > [Being self-made means doing things your own way - and doing it without any handouts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russ/being-self-made-means-doing-things-your-own-way-and-doing-it-without/) [Russ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russ/) > [I would have only doubted myself if I was really attached to the result of what I was doing, but I was always doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russ/i-would-have-only-doubted-myself-if-i-was-really-attached-to-the/) [Russ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russ/) > [Trends die. That's the natural thing about a trend. It's natural for people to be followers and be sheep and go with a trend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russ/trends-die-that-s-the-natural-thing-about-a-trend-it-s-natural-for/) [Russ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russ/) > [I think talking things out is therapeutic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russ/i-think-talking-things-out-is-therapeutic/) [Russ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russ/) > [That's the thing: I'm not opposed to working with people. I'm just not one of these people that feels the need to hop around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russ/that-s-the-thing-i-m-not-opposed-to-working-with-people-i-m-just-not/) [Russ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russ/) > [When I made 'What They Want,' I was going crazy. When I made 'Losin Control,' I was going crazy, when I made all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russ/when-i-made-what-they-want-i-was-going-crazy-when-i-made-losin/) [Russ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russ/) > [“Sometimes i feel like it's going to be collapse & I'm going to be bury under a large amount of problems. You know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russ/sometimes-i-feel-like-it-s-going-to-be-collapse-i-m-going-to-be-bury/) [Russ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russ/) > [I didn't go to my prom. I didn't go to my homecoming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russ/i-didn-t-go-to-my-prom-i-didn-t-go-to-my-homecoming/) [Russ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russ/) > [“Make your decision and go for your dreams before it gets too late. For that time will never stop for you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russ/make-your-decision-and-go-for-your-dreams-before-it-gets-too-late-for/) [Russ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russ/) > [I'm not obsessed with the idea of doing what you're supposed to be doing when you're a rapper. Walking around with cash that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russ/i-m-not-obsessed-with-the-idea-of-doing-what-you-re-supposed-to-be/) [Russ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russ/) [Explore all 43 Russ quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russ/) ## More Promise quotes > [I could not limit my values and pursuits to what makes others comfortable. Being possessed by a promise I live without options. I will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/i-could-not-limit-my-values-and-pursuits-to-what-makes-others/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [ The social \[media channel\] isn't about beauty contests and popularity contests. They're a distortion, a caricature of the real thing. It's about trust, connection,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umair-haque/the-social-media-channel-isn-t-about-beauty-contests-and-popularity/) [Umair Haque](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umair-haque/) > [Today is a reality, tomorrow's a promise, and yesterday's history!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-blanks/today-is-a-reality-tomorrow-s-a-promise-and-yesterday-s-history/) [Billy Blanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-blanks/) > [I take the responsibility of playing another ethnicity very, very seriously, and I promise myself and those people that I will represent them with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cliff-curtis/i-take-the-responsibility-of-playing-another-ethnicity-very-very/) [Cliff Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cliff-curtis/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [“Because we live in a fallen world, we suffer. But those of us who know Jesus are never alone in the suffering, that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-turner-lee/because-we-live-in-a-fallen-world-we-suffer-but-those-of-us-who-know/) Melissa Turner Lee > [Conservatism is not about leaving people behind. Conservatism is about empowering people to catch up, to give them the tools at their disposable that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/conservatism-is-not-about-leaving-people-behind-conservatism-is-about/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [A promise, a bond, a joy, a love for the ages, for the history books.…But what was love but pain?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-de-la-cruz/a-promise-a-bond-a-joy-a-love-for-the-ages-for-the-history-books-but/) [Melissa de la Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-de-la-cruz/) > [“I’d see this through to the end… This promise above all others, I will gladly keep.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-shirvington/i-d-see-this-through-to-the-end-this-promise-above-all-others-i-will/) [Jessica Shirvington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-shirvington/) > [Wisdom is the abstract of the past, but beauty is the promise of the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wisdom-is-the-abstract-of-the-past-but-beauty-is-the-promise-of-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you ponder the scriptures and begin to do what you covenanted with God to do, I can promise you that you will feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/if-you-ponder-the-scriptures-and-begin-to-do-what-you-covenanted-with/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [I promise myself that I will enjoy every minute of the day that is given me to live.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-promise-myself-that-i-will-enjoy-every-minute-of-the-day-that-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Many people expect, just as they did then, "those at the top" to make all their decisions for them: Please get us work, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wladyslaw-bartoszewski/many-people-expect-just-as-they-did-then-those-at-the-top-to-make-all/) [Wladyslaw Bartoszewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wladyslaw-bartoszewski/) > [PRomise DAy SPecial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/promise-day-special/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Never threaten, because a threat is a promise to pay that it isn't always convenient to meet, but if you don't make it good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-horace-lorimer/never-threaten-because-a-threat-is-a-promise-to-pay-that-it-isn-t/) [George Horace Lorimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-horace-lorimer/) [Browse all 5,486 Promise quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promise/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Never make a promise that you can't really keep it. 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