Andrew K.

Martinez

Spring 2019

The 4 Agreements, A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom Video Script

Learning Objectives:

1. Introduce book and Author

2. Explain what an agreement is
3. Examine each agreement

*the Title” The 4 Agreements” grows into the screen onto the screen, while the words “A practical guide
to personal freedom, a presentation on the book by Don Miguel Ruiz” fade in blow it.*

In 1997 an author by name of Don Miguel Ruiz published his book: The Four Agreements that was widely
praised by critics and shined light upon by Oprah Winfrey in her Super Soul Sunday series. The Four
Agreements is described as a self-help book and is said to promote personal growth and development.
The Four Agreements’ as Author Don Miguel Ruiz describes are: Being Impeccable with your word, Never
take anything personally, Don’t make assumptions, and the last and most important agreement,
ALWAYS DO YOUR BEST. This short video will take a deeper look at the first two of the agreements and
examine what they mean.

*Lo-Fi Music Plays while title transition appears that reads “What is an Agreement?”

First, we’ll start off with asking ‘what is an agreement’? Well, the book describes the rules and societal
norms that have been placed upon each and every one of us as an agreement(s). For example, while we
are growing up some parents may have told their daughters to sit, stand, or walk a certain type of way
because it was considered lady like or polite. Some parents or other people in general may have told
children to be physically tough or strong because strong people do better in a society. Universities teach
us how to act professionally and what the best cookie cutter ways of conducting business are. As
humans we are prone to take information that has been given to us by our parents as well as our peers
and agree on it these agreements may sound something like: yes - it is better to be physically strong and
athletic, yes - it is polite for a lady to sit like this, yes- that is the best was to conduct a profitable
business along with how to act when conducting it. These are all Agreements that we know as rules,
and norms that we have “agreed” to abide by in order to be well received in our society. In this book
Don Miguel explains that we should abandon these ideas / agreements and instead follow a simple 4
agreements guide to a happy in life.

*Lo-Fi music plays softly while the transition title “Being Impeccable with Your Word” displays on the
screen*

The first agreement is to Be Impeccable with Your Word. What does that even mean? Let’s take a look
at what the word Impeccable means.

*Graphic of Google definition of Impeccable shows up on screen*

Google describes the word ‘Impeccable’ as: behavior, performance, or appearance) in

accordance with the highest standards of propriety; faultless.
Synonyms include: Flawless, faultless, unembellished, spotless, stainless, untarnished, perfect,
exemplary, ideal.
Ruiz describes our words as
*show quote on screen and read it out loud on screen*
“A force; it is the power you have to express and communicate, to think, and thereby to create
the events in your life”. The word is strong and is a power that each of us individuals have. The
power of the word can be used in two ways, for good or for bad. Decades ago one man used
the power of his words to enslave the entire country of Germany to commit atrocious acts of
violence and evil against innocent humans. He used his power, for evil, and he did this because
he knew of the power of the word. Sometimes we use this power poorly and don’t even
recognize it. Has someone close to you ever given you an opinion that you didn’t ask for? When
you got it, were you met with hurtful criticism? What kind of impact did that make on you?

*Short video or gif of seed growing in fertile soil plays as the next paragraph is read*

We as humans often give these opinions without even being asked for them. Ruiz explains that
the “human mind is like a fertile ground where seeds are continually being planted. The seeds
are opinions, ideas, and concepts. You plant a seed, a thought, and it grows.” Which is why you
should never use the power of the word negatively towards others or yourself. Never get a bad
grade on a test and call your self dumb or stupid. Don’t look yourself in the mirror and tell
yourself that you are ugly because of this or that. Use the power of the word Impeccably to lift
yourself and others.

*lo-fi Music plays while the transition graphic and title come up that read “Don’t take anything
personally” *

Ruiz Identifies the second agreement as “Don’t take anything personally”. This agreement
stems from the previous agreement. Ruiz provides and example of this agreement with “If I see
you at work and tell you; ‘Hey, I saw your report, and I think it’s the stupidest report that I have
ever read.’ without knowing you or how much work you put into it then it’s not about you it’s
about me. If you take it personally and decide the agree with that statement, then maybe you
think you’re not confident in your abilities at work or you don’t think the report is very good.” If
that is true then you are violating the first agreement, as you are not being impeccable with
your word because you are using the power of the word and letting others use the power of the
word against you. “Taking things personally is the maximum expression of selfishness because
we make the assumption that everything is about ‘me’”. Nothing other people do is because of
you. It is because of themselves. You cannot be held accountable for the actions and thoughts
of others, but you can hold yourself accountable for your own thoughts and actions.

For the sake of time we will only cover the first two agreements, but if you want to research
this topic any further then I highly recommend reading Don Miguel Ruiz’s book The 4
Agreements. He wrote this book in 1997 and since then he has added an agreement and written
another book called “The Fifth Agreement” which I recommend viewers to check out.
*End of Video, let credits roll and provide sources along with fitting music*