If a person always arrives early, replies quickly, and follows through on small promises, pay close attention. Those habits usually come from someone who knows exactly how it feels when people don't. - Silicon Canals

"The people who arrive early often grew up waiting. The people who reply quickly remember what it was like to sit with silence, unsure if the silence meant anger, indifference, or something worse. The ones who follow through on 'I'll grab that for you' or 'I'll call you at 3' remember a childhood (or a relationship, or a friendship) full of broken small promises that no one else seemed to think mattered."

"Research on trust consistently shows that reliability in minor, everyday actions predicts trust more powerfully than grand gestures. A study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that people evaluate trustworthiness through repeated low-stakes interactions far more than through dramatic displays of loyalty. The person who texts 'running 5 minutes late' is building something real, brick by small brick."

Reliable people—those who arrive early, respond promptly, and follow through on commitments—often developed these habits through experiences of unreliability or broken promises in their past. This pattern reflects earned secure attachment, where individuals intentionally build security and trustworthiness through reflection and deliberate action. These behaviors appear as personality traits but are actually deeply held values forged through discomfort. Research demonstrates that trustworthiness is evaluated primarily through repeated low-stakes interactions rather than dramatic gestures. Small promises kept consistently create a foundation of trust that accumulates over time, making reliability a powerful predictor of how others perceive and relate to us.

Read at Silicon Canals