What does the word integrity mean to you? Webster’s defines it as “a firm adherence to a code, of especially moral or artistic values.” For me, it simply means say what you mean, mean what you say, and do what you say you will do. Pretty easy, right?
In today’s world, sometimes it feels as if our integrity is dictated by others. The actions of another may mean we can’t always do what we say we would. Yet, nothing in the definition says adhere to that code as long as others don’t interfere with it. It simply is what it is. We make choices every single day that impact us and the world around us.
In the last few days, I’ve been forced to really take a look at these things. There are times when it doesn’t seem easy. I have finally learned today to simply acknowledge that I have to honor those things I value. Some personal health things have made me stop and look at what I truly value in life. As I went back and read my earlier post on values I realized it really is pretty simple, even when we make it difficult. As long as you focus on your true values in life, it’s not tough to maintain your own integrity. It IS a choice and one we each have to make for ourselves. It’s really only tough when we forget that we do have a choice and CAN choose to remain true to those things that are truly important.
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What is personal integrity?
Personal integrity is knowing what you know –
What you know is what you know –
And to have the courage to know and say what you have observed.
And that is integrity
And there is no other integrity.
Personal integrity: living in accord with our highest state of consciousness.
We continuously create our reality by our choices, moment to moment, creating and maintaining harmony by following our conscience and acting for the highest good.
Personal integrity takes courage.
We are being courageous in living according to our conscience when it would be easy to hide from others that we are not following our conscience. It is easier to slide down the hill of life, maintaining or digressing in our current state of consciousness, than to follow the hard climb up the path of what we know is right. The reward for continually upgrading our personal integrity is that we become more conscious of our harmonious, self-effulgent nature.
Through living with personal integrity others notice that we can be trusted; we become a trustworthy friend, an asset to our world family.
Are you a person of integrity? Are you honest, reliable and trustworthy? Because that is what having high integrity means. A person of integrity is honest. Let’s say one day, you find one hundred dollars in your school. Would you keep it, or would you hand it to the teacher? He does not lie to other and is reliable, you can always depend on him. He is also trustworthy, you are able to put your trust on him. It is not easily to have all of this qualities and more. Who says having a high integrity is easy?
As an individual, to have high integrity you must do what is right. Take for example, you are a counselor in your secondary school and one day, you found your best friend breaking the rules. Your best friend begs for lenience, he promised you that he would never do that again. What would you do? Will you report him to the teacher or would you let him off? Most of us would have let him off, since he is our best friend. I mean, I would just pretend that I never see anything. But that is wrong. As a counselor, it is our rightful duty to report students who break the rules. We must be fair and just. But you would argue that we should give him a chance. But the harsh fact is that a person of high integrity has to do what is right. It is tough right?
Having high integrity also means that you must not easily be influence by others. If your friend is doing something wrong or harmful, like smoking, would you follow them because of peer pressure? You should not be influence by them but instead advise them what they do is wrong.
Finally, a person of integrity does not take the easy way if it is the low moral way. For example, you are an architect. One day, you are given a project to work on. The client wants to project to be finished as soon as possible. You have calculated that it would take about 1 year to complete the project. But after sometime, you realized that you would be able to cut down on the completion time if he leave out some features or safety guidelines and in the process of shortening the time, you would be able to earn more money. If you really take the easy and fast way, then you are a person with low integrity. What you did could have endangered the lives of many. In the case of the Hotel New World disaster, 33 people were killed.
Having high integrity is perhaps the most difficult quality to achieve, but once you have achieve it, it is the most satisfying one.
Benefits of High Integrity
1) You and others are happy
2) Peace of mind; no guilty feelings
3) Feel good or satisfied at having done the right thing
4) Gain other people’s trust and respect
5) Do not get others into trouble unnecessarily
6) Become a good example or an inspiration to others
7) May get rewards, e.g.. in terms of money, promotions, awards etc.
Consequences of Low Integrity
1) May be punished e.g. scolding, fines
2) May get into trouble with the law e.g. convicted of crime; fine; jailed
3) Have bad reputation
4) Feel Guilty
5) Lose other’s trust and respect
6) Result in problems: accidents, injury, death
7) Get others into trouble