Review of The Four Agreements

This is more of a self help book than a business book.  However, it provides a powerful code of conduct to apply in today’s tough business world.  The code of conduct  is based on four values “agreements” that are hard to apply.  The difficulty in application comes from the fact that they go against the traditional way people are trained to deal with others and situations they face.  The four agreements are: be impeccable with your word, don’t take anything personally, don’t make assumptions, and always do your best. 
The book was written by Don Miguel Ruiz.  In each section he explains one of  the “four agreements.  Be Impeccable with Your Word is the first of the four agreements.  It is about speaking with integrity.  Considering the word as a sacred testament of truth, Don stresses the importance of only speaking the truth and using the word for the betterment of self and others.  He elaborates on how  the word can be used as a “healing” tool and as a “poison.”  From a business perspective, one can draw parallels to being positive and negative in communicating with others.
Don't Take Anything Personally is the second agreement.  In this section, Ruiz makes a compelling demonstration on how nothing is personal.  When people hurt, cheat, abuse, or betray others, it is not personal.  So, when subjected to any of these evils of others, one should remember that it is not personal and react accordingly.  This is a tough thing to do in a world that takes everything personally, according to Ruiz.    He asserts that nothing others do is because of you. What others say or do is a projection of their own reality and dreams. When people say that someone “hurt their feelings” in reality they mean that they made a decision to be hurt by what someone said or did.  So, according to Ruiz what another person has done has nothing to do with how it affects us.  He takes this to the extreme without leaving room for any exceptions.  When a person is immune to the opinions and actions of others, then that person will cease to be the victim of needless suffering caused by taking what others do personally.  This can be especially important in business.  Competition, rivalry, and even disagreements and feuds are all not personal.  They are about the business and not personal.  It is better to focus on behavior and statements, rather than people, when trying to solve a problem.
Don't Make Assumptions  is about finding the courage to ask questions and to express wants and needs in a clear and candid manner. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. Assumptions make people believe things that do not exist by becoming hostage to their own assumptions.  Instead of assumptions, Ruiz suggests clearly expressing feelings and making an effort to understand clearly others’ motives, statements, and behaviors.  According to him, one can completely transform his or her life with just this agreement.  In business, making false assumptions is a cause of failure for projects and companies alike.  If people make less assumptions, or try to validate their assumptions, they would face less risk of making a wrong business decision.
Always Do Your Best is the last agreement, but could be the most important.    Someone’s best is going to change over time and depending on strength, psyche, and circumstances.  When people do the best they could, they avoid self-judgment and self-abuse.  When doing a person’s best, then there will be no regrets.  Don demonstrates how he himself uses this agreement to his advantage.  When asked whether he applies what he preaches, he always answers: “I do my best.” In the business world, after doing one’s best, one should be content with the outcomes.  This should have the positive effect of pushing self to the highest performance levels.  That will result in the highest possible effort been exerted towards achieving goals.
The four agreements affect each other as they are inter-dependent and complement one another.  According to the author, one must combine the four together to be able to apply any of them properly.  In the business world, all four agreements are applicable, and can relieve much of the stress that comes from the disappointments and problems of today’s business world. 
The book is based on the Toltec tradition.  Toltecs are a nation that ruled much of Maya central Mexico from the tenth to twelfth centuries A.D. Toltecs have been known throughout southern Mexico as "women and men of knowledge" for many centuries. The book author; Don Miguel Ruiz, is himself a shaman of the Toltec tradition.  Ruiz led a normal life as a surgeon until a near death experience in the 70s changed his life.  Don dedicated the first part of the book  to talk about the Toltecs, their beliefs, values, and views on life.
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The Four Agreements is a book written by don Miguel Ruiz, a shaman of the Toltec tradition whose life was transformed after a near death experience in the 1970s, in which he explains what the four agreements are and how they can be applied in everyday life. The book is based on the teachings and traditions of the Toltec people that ruled much of the Maya region of Mexico between the tenth and twelfth centuries A.D. and who were widely known in southern Mexico as "women and men of knowledge". The first chapter of the book establishes a background about the Toltec people, their beliefs, values, and views on life. In the sections which follow he explains each of the four agreements: be impeccable with your word, don't take anything personally, don't make assumptions, and always do your best. These four concepts are complimentary, they are each dependent on the others and must be combined for any of them to be applied properly. The four agreements are simple concepts to understand yet can be difficult to apply . This is because of the manner which people are accustomed to dealing with others and situations they face in their lives.

The four agreements start with Be Impeccable With Your Word. The focal point here is placed on only speaking the truth, speaking with integrity, and using the word for the betterment of others and yourself. Don Ruiz explains that the word should be considered a sacred testament of truth, and when it is, it can be used as a tool to bring about healing.

Don't Take Anything personally is the second agreement. Ruiz explains that this can be a hard thing to do in a world that takes everything personally. The assertion made here is that nothing others say or do is because of you, but it is rather a projection of their own reality and dreams. By immunizing ourselves from the opinions and actions of others we can stop being victims of the unnecessary suffering that comes from taking what others do to us personally.

Don't Make Assumptions centers on the ability to effectively communicate with people and clearly express our wants and needs and, according to Ruiz, a person can completely transform their life by just applying this agreement. When we make assumptions, we begin to believe in non-existent things which we in turn become hostages to. Ruiz explains that we need to have the strength to ask questions, express our feelings, and communicate clearly with others to fully understand their motives, statements, and behaviors. By doing so, we can avoid sadness, drama, and misunderstandings.

Always Do You Best is the last of the four agreements. This is very important because when we do our best, we prevent ourselves from falling prey to the misery which comes from self-judgment and self-abuse. After doing our best, we will have no regrets and be content with the results of our efforts.

The Four Agreements is the first book in a long time that I was able to finish reading. I was reminded of the books by Carlos Castaneda that I would spend hours pouring over. After reading the first chapter, my interest in rebuilding my collection of Castaneda's books was rekindled. The concepts are the same, yet beautifully simplified, so that anyone can read and understand it. Don Ruiz presents the Toltec teachings in a clear and easy to understand format for the casual reader. This is in stark contrast to Castaneda's books, which can seem more like fantasy novels. Castaneda's books were written from the perspective of a Toltec shaman's apprentice and targeted to a reading audience that typically had some background in metaphysics or the mystical arts. Now that I've finished The Four Agreements, I look forward to reading don Ruiz's other two books first in the hope that they will give me a little more insight into the Toltec teachings which could sometimes be difficult to comprehend in Castaneda's writings.