A Review of The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom

by Gezelin Cantuba, Junior Creative Engineer, VPG

The Four Agreements was a short yet thought-provoking read. It challenges its readers to use these concepts in their daily lives to work towards a freer and more positive lifestyle. The author takes inspiration from his own Mexican culture by also including the spiritual beliefs of the Toltecs. The book's more spiritual wordings were lost to me, and I glossed over some sections of the book, but I can admire the author for finding relief in the teachings of his own culture and sharing with us readers.

The sections of the book I enjoyed the most were chapters describing the Four Agreements. I’ll list them out here:

1. Be impeccable with your word

2. Don’t take anything personally

3. Don’t make assumptions

4. Always do your best

I was most drawn to the first agreement: be impeccable with your word. Impeccable, in this case, means to speak with integrity and truthfulness, to use your words for the positive rather than the negative. This doesn’t just apply to how you speak about others but also to how you speak to yourself. I believe that words hold power; they can be used to both hurt and heal, both hate and love. Communication is such an integral part of understanding ourselves and the world around us. So, I agree this is an important step as it changes your approach to life through language.

As for the other agreements, I only partially agree with the second one. It is very telling how others think when they point out parts of yourself, either negatively or positively. What they say is more reflective of what they think about themselves rather than about you. However, I also believe there are situations where it’s ok to take things personally to protect yourself and your peace.

Out of all four agreements, I think “don’t make assumptions” is easier said than done. We do this all the time; I even do this all the time. My biggest takeaway in this section is just how important communication is. Ask questions when needed’ this helps to clear confusion and any misinterpretations. Making assumptions also stops us from being able to sympathize and empathize with our peers.

“Always do your best” is a given and self-explanatory. This agreement, along with all the others, is a wonderful start to your journey of personal growth. My overall impression of this book is that it contains lots of great nuggets of advice. I focused on just the Four Agreements, but other sections also discussed fear, freedom, and love. There is a bit of truth to this book, and I do recommend checking this out. It’s a great start to introduce you to universally applicable concepts that can be used as guidelines for life.