There are so many lessons we can learn from past cultures...this book is rich with wisdom that comes from the past, yet still can guide us to a better future. The core of this book (for me) is that we have to come into agreement on how we will go through life; if you are untrue to yourself how can you be true to anyone else? Uplifting and inspirational!

Wow. Wow, this book. Well, thank you very much, don Miguel Ruiz, for unearthing the wisdom of the ancient Toltec people to bring us these four unique gems: be impeccable with your word, don't take anything personally, don't make assumptions, and always do your best. Are you sure there wasn't a fifth agreement called "treat others how you want to be treated"?

It's really not enough that he's rehashing these incredibly basic ideas and trying to pass them off as wisdom that's been kept secret for thousands of years, but he has to toss in a bunch of New Age hooey about black magic and the Judge and the Victim.

Here's one of my favorite parts: "The mind has the ability to talk to itself, but it also has the ability to hear information that is available from other realms. Sometimes you hear a voice in your mind, and you may wonder where it came from. This voice may have come from another reality in which there are living beings very similar to the human mind."

Also: "Every human is a magician, and we can either put a spell on someone with our word or we can release someone from a spell. We cast spells all the time with our opinions. An example: I see a friend and give him an opinion that just popped into my mind. I say, 'Hmm! I see that kind of color in your face in people who are going to get cancer.' If he listens to the word, and if he agrees, he will have cancer in less than one year. That is the power of the word."

So, I'm really sorry if this review puts a black magic spell on you, Mr. Ruiz. I hope you Don't Take It Personally.

The Four Agreements
1. Be impeccable with your word.
2. Don’t take anything personally.
3. Don’t make assumptions.
4. Always do your best.

I was given this book as a Birthday present from my little brother. He said its teachings can be life changing. I ENJOYED it a lot!!! As with any self help type of book you gotta "take some" and "leave some" if you know what I mean? For me this was a definite TAKE way more than leave. My brother and I have similar personalities and I can see very much why he gave me this book. As soon as I read the inside cover I knew this was going to be something that connected with me, my life, and my way of thinking. Honestly, I think anyone and everyone who reads it can benefit and take something away making their life better. The bottom line in this book is that life is all about love---how to give it and receive it. This has been a long time belief of mine---that life is all about learning to love, unconditionally loving the way our Creator loves.

INSIDE COVER:
BE IMPECCABLE WITH YOUR WORD: Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the Word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your Word in the direction of truth and love.

DON'T TAKE ANYTHING PERSONALLY: Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won’t be the victim of needless suffering.

DON'T MAKE ASSUMPTIONS: Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST: Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse, and regret.

I am probably the least spiritual person you'll ever meet, however, there's something about this book that makes me really love it. It's simple yet so important for what it offers. A very enjoyable read.

حرفاش درست بود اما چیز جدیدی برای گفتن نداشت.

2020: January
As with every year I try to re-read this gem of a book. Will this be the year I practice all four agreements? Stay tuned to find out.

2019: November
According to Goodreads, this is my 6th time reading this book. Every time I pick it up I feel renewed that I need to find a way to implement all four agreements.

2019
One of my favorite books to re-read at the start of the year.

2018
There are four simple agreements, if we are able to stick to these four things, our lives will improve significantly. These four agreements are:
The Four Agreements are:
Be Impeccable With Your Word
Don't Take Anything Personally
Don't Make Assumptions
Always Do Your Best

While these are "Simple" agreements, there is nothing simple about not taking anything personal, not making assumptions and always doing your best. I do believe these are four really great principles to live by and I look forward to putting these into practice.




2017
At the beginning of every year I try to read this book, maybe this year I will make it a monthly read. This book challenges us to do four "simple" things in order for us to live a more fulfilling life. I love how practical these challenges are, but each year I fail to live up to all. For the most part, I try to be impeccable with my word because I am firmly believe that your words create worlds. I keep telling people about the power of their words so this is an agreement I try to live as closely to as possible. The others are a little difficult but I think with constant reading and practice it will become a habit.
This should be mandatory reading for everyone.

A very powerful, life changing book, providing you do as instructed. Granted I have heard all of the Four Agreements in some form or another, but in this format I really "got it".
The Four Agreements are:
Be Impeccable With Your Word
Don't Take Anything Personally
Don't Make Assumptions
Always Do Your Best
All Four Agreements are things that can be done, but will be really hard. After reading this book, I honestly saw how I sometimes get in my own way, in the way I speak, how I take things personally and by making assumptions. I honestly do believe if you work at these Four Agreements, your life will change in phenomenally.

PLEASE READ.

I never thought I would fall for a book by someone who would allow this picture of himself to adorn the back cover:



I can't explain it. I'm not one to be floored by silly, little self-help books full of spirituality and cliches and horrible stories and simple advice. But I was. This book might just change my life.

I'll hand the rest of this review over to David Foster Wallace:

"It seems to me that the intellectualization and aestheticizing of principles and values in this country is one of the things that's gutted our generation. All the things that my parents said to me, like 'It's really important not to lie.' OK, check, got it. I nod at that but I really don't feel it. Until I get to be about 30 and I realize that if I lie to you, I also can't trust you. I feel that I'm in pain, I'm nervous, I'm lonely and I can't figure out why. Then I realize, 'Oh, perhaps the way to deal with this is really not to lie.' The idea that something so simple and, really, so aesthetically uninteresting -- which for me meant you pass over it for the interesting, complex stuff -- can actually be nourishing in a way that arch, meta, ironic, pomo stuff can't, that seems to me to be important. That seems to me like something our generation needs to feel."

OK. So. I liked several parts of this book very much. I love that happiness is a choice. I especially appreciated reading about the third agreement: Don't Make Assumptions because communication is something I can always work on. I loved the parts about accepting and loving yourself and others. There is some amazing advise in this little book and I can see how it can be life changing for many people.

But.

I'm going to be honest and admit that Ruiz almost lost me at "Everything is God" in the introduction. Even though it sounds very pretty when said by a dude made of stars and fog, "Everything is God" is a meaningless statement. That's just something people say to blow everyone's mind and make themselves appear deeper than they actually are. Believe what you like about God, but saying everything is God is just the same as saying nothing is God, in which case you ought to go ahead and say what you mean and be a respectable atheist.

He almost lost me again at the John Lennon quote, just before the beginning of Chapter One. Little known fact: John Lennon quotes are a pet peeve of mine. Who knew- right? And then again when he kept using the word "dreamy-dream-dreamer" to make everything sound super emotive and enlightened. Not that there's anything really wrong with that- just not my thing.

And I admit I was annoyed by his over-simplifications, his vagueness about the evils of "the dream of the planet" (societal expectations) and again by his many generalizations- especially about how NO ONE is free to be herself because we're ALL "domesticated" (brainwashed) by society and our parents and teachers and church leaders, ALL blind, ALL narcissists. Which, you know, isn't entirely true.

I'm certainly not a conformist, but I believe there needs to be a balance- some things you should conform to. Like not stealing. Or speeding through residential neighborhoods. Whether I'm personally feeling it or not, many societal expectations aren't relative. They're necessary. On the other hand, if by "the dream of the planet" he means cultural customs like judging people for their hairstyle or the music they like then I agree that "the dream of the planet" is bad news. See, it would be helpful if he were slightly less mysterious in his approach.

Once I managed to sort through the new-age incense and magic (Not my flavor), I actually agreed with the four agreements. Imagine that. It turns out I've heard them before from Mother Teresa, C.S. Lewis, Dr. Seuss, Steven Covey, Jesus Christ, and many others. Life is infinitely better when you're honest and courageous enough to accept yourself, communicative in your relationships, positive, open and loving, forgiving of yourself and others, and continually trying to do your best. That is how we become a happy person. That is what most religions teach. That's what most schools encourage. That's what science shows. Its no secret- its just surprisingly difficult to remember and put into practice. Props to Ruiz for reminding me of this and for writing a book to help others. While his writing style made me vomit a little in my mouth, still he meant well and has assuredly encouraged many on the path to happiness.

I would add, it is my personal belief that our reason for being- our purpose on earth is to learn to be happy. And truly happy people are always good people. Not perfect, but good. And I would add further that it stands to reason that the better a person is, the happier she becomes. Which is where religion takes the four agreements a step further, claiming that we are eternal beings and if so then we are day by day over an eternity either becoming more like God, or less like God. We are either progressing towards perfect happiness or perfect misery. Christianity also adds that we don't need to do this on our own, which idea rings true and logical and brings me comfort.

Wow. Ruiz inspired me to write my own book.

I am not sure if the book gods have cursed me, because this is the second awful book I have read in as many weeks.

This book came to me highly recommended from a dear friend of mine, whom I trust and respect immensely. She told me this book was life-changing, and loaned me the copy she had passed around to many friends before me. Needless to say, I was excited to dive in. I was excited to learn some incredible life lessons and come out a changed woman.

Ha.

This book has a very simple premise, there are four agreements you should make with yourself to live a good and happy life. It sounds reasonable enough: Be Impeccable With Your Word, Don't Take Anything Personally, Don't Make Assumptions, Always Do Your Best.

At first, these all sound like they make sense and would make for a happier life. However, the book is filled with new age & strange concepts that are actually sort of dangerous in a practical sense. For example, the author tells you: don't listen to anything that any one says about you or any negative things said to you, it is purely a reflection of their own unhappiness. Erm...well...no? Not always? Sometimes people tell you difficult things because you need to hear them. If we brush off every single criticism of ourselves as a reflection of the person telling it to us, we'd be pretty arrogant, wouldn't we? The author also makes a really bizarre and harmful assertion that people in situations of domestic violence essentially *attract* negativity into their lives. Just be better and no one will hit you, I suppose? Garbage. Those are just two examples out of many where this author started with a reasonable enough concept, but took the explanation much too far.

I absolutely do not mean to disrespect these ancient teachings or whatever, but they are simply not for me. If this book changed you, that makes me happy. If you gleaned some important lessons from this read, then that is fantastic. In a sea of positive reviews and accolades, I hate to (once again) be the negative nancy. But man, this book is just bad. Really, really bad.

A quick read full of wisdom, love, and light. ✨

The Four Agreements:
1. Be impeccable with your word
2. Don’t take anything personally
3. Don’t make assumptions
4. Do your best

I like how he said our words are our magic. We can either cast good spells or bad spells. Let us always choose lumos.

2.5 stars. video reading kylie jenner's favourite books: https://youtu.be/DE5_qfqwRkY

This is a small book of 129 pages which I have read it many times. I suspect I will pick it up and read it again for as long as I can read. I don't have it on my bookshelf though, as I want to honor its special nature to me. In my nightstand by my bed is its home for now.

This is a book that challenges one to live up to four simple truths, and offers transformational results if one could live a life completely engaged in the four agreements. They are so concise that I can state them here. 1) Be impeccable with your word. 2) Don't take anything personally. 3) Don't make assumptions. 4) Always do your best. Simple huh? Track a day and see how many times you break an agreement (in your actions or your mind). To my constant amazement, I find myself stumbling over one or another of these agreements with some regularity. So it helps to remind myself with a yellow sticky note on my fridge, mental food for when I reach for the physical food.

I am not committed to these four agreements with a hope that I will attain some mystical state. I find the author's explanation of how our mind, our society, and importantly, our relationships work to be insightful, even though it is based on a paradigm that is completely outside my heritage of growing up in a small New England town. Understanding the Toltec dream metaphor is an essential part of realizing the deeper meaning driving our relationships within the world around us. Ruiz does a good job of helping these concepts become clearer. Especially relevant to me is the understanding of the role of judging and the resulting self-victimization that society attempts to impress on all of us.

Ruiz has helped me drop many of my limited belief structures and has opened up insights into living that are valuable to young and old souls alike. Lately, I have started to sense that some of his intricate explanations of how the dream takes control of our lives are based on a complex analysis that once reasoned through, only makes the simplicity of the four agreements more relevant to me in my daily life.

It is 2024, twenty-one years after I wrote this first review. There are only four agreements, but they are a challenge to keep, and I certainly feel my life has improved by striving to keep them actively guiding my life. It is a good read.