Start where you are. Build what matters.The Stress-Free CEO is a weekly newsletter created for women who are building businesses on their own terms. You'll find clear strategies, supportive advice, and practical tools to help you move forward with confidence. No pressure. No hype. Just the guidance you need to grow a business that feels right for you. Let’s build something meaningful together.
When Good Intentions Destroy Credibility
Why Setting Unrealistic Deadlines Turns Capability Into Doubt Hi Reader, I learned the hard way that over-promising happens when you commit to more than you can realistically deliver. Sometimes it means setting unrealistic deadlines you can’t truly control. Other times, it’s saying yes to too many projects at once, guaranteeing results you can’t fully influence, or agreeing to requests that pull you away from your real priorities. It often comes from a desire to please, impress, or prove yourself. But no matter the reason, the result is the same: unmet expectations that slowly erode trust. It doesn’t take many broken commitments to make people question your reliability. Even small, missed deadlines or minor delays, when repeated, create a pattern that can overshadow your actual skill and dedication. I learned this the hard way. Early on, I was in the habit of committing to a deadline without any sense of what it would take to deliver and whether or not I was actually in control of my time. For me, it was all about showing how competent I was or how important that person was to me. Without thinking, or being asked, I would say things like: This habit would almost always set me up for failure. It came from my naivete, which set unrealistic expectations and often left me starting emails with, “I apologize for the delay in getting back to you.” It may have seemed like a small thing at the time, but in reality, it sent one clear message: you cannot count on me. And once that message starts to take hold, trust begins to erode. Why Setting Unrealistic Deadlines Damages TrustSetting unrealistic deadlines might feel like good service in the moment, but it often does more harm than good. And deadlines aren’t the only way we over-promise. Other examples include:
When you set expectations you cannot realistically meet—whether through deadlines, workload, or outcomes you risk:
The irony is that you might actually be capable and committed, but the way you set expectations makes it seem as if you are unreliable. The Shift That Changed EverythingI learned that trust is not built by speed, it’s built by consistency. I stopped giving automatic time commitments. Now, instead of blurting out “I’ll send it by noon,” I say:
This change removed unnecessary pressure, and it meant that when I did commit to a timeframe, I almost always met or exceeded it. It definitely took practice. I learned to pause and think about my response before I replied. Authenticity as a Competitive AdvantageAuthenticity is not just about telling the truth—it is about setting expectations you can actually meet. People do not remember if you were the fastest; they remember if you were the most reliable. When I stopped setting unrealistic deadlines, I saw real changes:
Now, when I say I will do something, people know I mean it. That trust is worth more than any quick “yes” I could ever give. The Power of Following ThroughDoing what you say you’re going to do is the foundation of credibility. Each time you follow through, you strengthen trust; each time you don’t, you weaken it. Consistency builds strong relationships, creates new opportunities, and shows respect for both your commitments and the other person’s time. Reliability isn’t about perfection, it’s about setting realistic expectations and honoring them.
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The Stress-free CEO
Start where you are. Build what matters.The Stress-Free CEO is a weekly newsletter created for women who are building businesses on their own terms. You'll find clear strategies, supportive advice, and practical tools to help you move forward with confidence. No pressure. No hype. Just the guidance you need to grow a business that feels right for you. Let’s build something meaningful together.
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