Can a Person of Integrity Ever Feel Whole Again if They Fray From Theri Values and Morals
7 MIN READ
How to Preserve Your Integrity
Consistently Making the Right Choices
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HPuschmann
Preserve your integrity.
Many of us have to brand decisions that define who we are and what we believe in. Most often, the choices nosotros face up may seem insignificant. But this doesn't hateful that they're not important to usa: even the smallest action can have an impact on our self-respect, our integrity, and, ultimately, our reputation.
In a world where headlines are often dominated past people who make the wrong choices, people who brand the right ones can seem to be rare. However, information technology feels good to live and work with integrity and, when we become known for this highly valued trait, our lives and our careers can flourish.
In this article we'll examine what integrity is, and we'll encounter how nosotros tin can develop it and preserve it by making the right choices in life.
What Is Integrity?
Integrity is a feature that many of us value in ourselves, and it'due south one we look for consistently in our leaders. Merely what does it really mean to take integrity?
The Random Firm Dictionary defines integrity as:
- Adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.
- The land of existence whole, entire or undiminished.
- A sound, unimpaired or perfect condition.
Although the definition is audio, it tin can exist a bit more than complex to define integrity in our everyday lives.
You could say that integrity is always doing the right affair, fifty-fifty when no ane is looking, and even when the option isn't like shooting fish in a barrel. Or, you lot might encounter integrity equally staying truthful to yourself and your word, even when you're faced with serious consequences for the choices that you're making.
Alternatively, look at the second and third of these definitions. These were likely meant for structures, such as the integrity of a building. Just we can only as hands apply this definition to ourselves. When we accept integrity, we're whole and in perfect status, and nosotros're non compromised by awkward "inconsistencies."
When nosotros live our lives with integrity, it ways that we're always honest, and we let our deportment speak for who we are and what we believe in. Integrity is a option nosotros brand, and it's a option we must proceed making, every moment of our lives.
Why Is Integrity Important?
At that place are several reasons why integrity is so important.
Commencement, living a life of integrity means that we never have to spend fourth dimension or energy questioning ourselves. When we heed to our hearts and practice the right thing, life becomes unproblematic. Our life, and our deportment, are open up for everyone to see, and we don't have to worry about hiding anything.
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When we accept integrity, nosotros gain the trust of our leaders, our colleagues and our team. Nosotros're dependable, and, when we hold ourselves accountable for our actions, nosotros get role models for others to follow.
All of this, in turn, straight impacts our success in life. People who live and work with integrity are more probable to exist considered for promotions. Why? Because integrity is a authentication of ethical leadership – organizations desire leaders that they tin trust, and when you demonstrate integrity, you lot show everyone you lot can be trusted.
How to Develop and Preserve Integrity
Your integrity is what determines your reputation, and, just as this saying states, all it can take is a single bad pick to destroy a lifetime'due south worth of integrity.
Then, how tin can y'all work on developing and preserving your own integrity?
Step 1: Define Your Values
You can't alive by values if you don't know what you truly believe in. Then, start by defining your core values. These are the values that, no thing what the outcome, you lot're not going to compromise on.
Step 2: Clarify Every Choice You Make
Often, people cut corners or make bad choices when they think no one is watching. Having integrity means that, no thing what, you make the correct choice – especially when no one is watching!
You'll commonly know what's right and incorrect, although sometimes you might need some quiet fourth dimension to effigy information technology out. If you're not sure what the right choice is, ask yourself these two questions:
- "If my selection was printed on the front page of the newspaper for anybody to see, would I experience OK almost information technology?"
- "If I make this option, volition I experience OK with myself later on?"
Remember, honesty and integrity aren't values that you should live by when it's user-friendly; they're values that you should live by all the time. This includes the big choices and the footling choices – the choices everyone sees, and the choices that no one sees.
Step three: Encourage Integrity
People with integrity frequently have the same characteristics: they're humble, they have a stiff sense of self, they have high self-esteem, and they're cocky-confident. These characteristics are important, considering, sometimes, you'll exist nether intense pressure from others to make the incorrect choice.
Work on edifice and improving these characteristics inside yourself, then that you accept the force and courage to exercise the correct thing when the time comes. Build your self-confidence and self-esteem, and piece of work on developing character. Spend time getting to know yourself, and what you lot believe in. Develop friendships and piece of work relationships with others who demonstrate integrity, and who volition back up your decisions.
Further Tips:
- Learn how to be assertive, and so that you tin defend an ethical position from an adult point of view, without whining or being ambitious.
- Avert white lies. They may seem harmless, but tiny lies are however lies. Always tell the truth.
- Learn to accept responsibility for your actions. If you make a mistake, own up to it immediately and practise whatever it takes to right the situation.
- Keep your word, and don't make promises that you know you can't keep.
- Go on in listen that in times of fear, disaster and anarchy, the temptation is fifty-fifty greater to make a wrong choice. Use these opportunities to demonstrate your true character.
- Avoid seeming cocky-satisfied or priggish when you're acting with integrity: stay humble and down-to-globe, don't look for approval, and, where y'all sensibly can, effort to let people save face.
Cardinal Points
Having integrity means that you lot live in accordance to your deepest values, you're honest with everyone, and you always proceed your word.
Integrity is a highly valued trait, especially in leaders. When you live with integrity, you're more than likely to be considered for of import promotions and leadership positions.
To develop and protect your integrity, get-go past identifying your cadre values. These are the values that you refuse to compromise on, no matter what. Next, clarify every choice you make to ensure that you're doing the right thing.
And so, develop a culture of integrity around you, work on building your self-confidence and cocky-esteem, and develop relationships with others who live with integrity.
Source: https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/integrity.htm