Integrity – the Importance of Sticking To Your Principles
Many members of the Association of Personal Growth Professionals are drawn to this gathering because of their concern with Integrity – the apparent gap in integrity within our own profession, gaps in integrity with their clients or customers, and maybe even an honest look at their own personal integrity, particularly their integrity with themselves.
Integrity is how we behave when no one is looking.
Will we cut corners or continue to live by our values? All our values?
There are consequences when we compromise on our beliefs – consequences to our self image, to our self esteem, to our reputation, and to our business success.
Some people say that it can take as little as two weeks to make or break a habit. It takes far less time than that to destroy a lifetime of integrity. People remember when you act in a way that is incongruent with who you say you are.
When you live by a belief system, your actions are guided by it on a daily basis. You won’t commit a crime if you value law and order. You wouldn’t wake up and quit your job because you didn’t feel like going to work. (OK, maybe some of us would.) But you wouldn’t lie to a client just to make a sale. Or would you?
These examples might seemfar fetched. Who would do a thing like that?
You might be surprised. When our integrity and standards are under fire, we don’t just abandon them in one swift move. There are usually a series of small steps – small decisions, small choices – leading up to leaving our principles behind. It’s necessary to pay attention to your decisions, listen to that little voice inside, and consciously make choices in order to keep that from happening.
Living up to our principles is a twenty-four hour job. We might not be coming under fire twenty-four hours a day, but when we least expect it, are least prepared, something will pop up. How we respond determines what sort of pivotal point it becomes in our lives. It’s like the TV show “What Would You Do?” Unsuspecting people going about their day are exposed to something that challenges their principles or their sense of who they are. It’s a fascinating look at how people respond in real life situations. Everyone things they’ll do the right thing…but when faced with it…not so much.
The truth is, the defining moments are the little ones. You already know this – that’s why you are in the personal growth industry. You know that each little decision changes us somehow. You teach this to your clients and audiences. You demonstrate it. But how do you deal with it in your own life?
With each compromising decision, a little more of our integrity is chipped away. It becomes easier to give in each time. What we don’t realize is that we no longer look at ourselves in the mirror. We seldom go against the status quo for fear we’ll be labeled as a hypocrite. Our principles are less concrete now and almost completely fluid.
If you’ve felt this way that means you still mourn the changes that have brought you to this point. Regaining your integrity won’t be easy especially around those for whom you compromised. But, with the help of understanding and trustworthy people, your reputation and self-image can be restored and you can begin to rebuild your life.
The good news is that while with each compromising decision, a little of your integrity is chipped away…at the same time, every decision you make that is in line with your values serves to build your integrity. Each baby step – or monster-sized step – in that direction builds the strength and foundation of your integrity.
What are you doing today to strengthen your integrity?
What are some decisions you need to revisit in order to be more in alignment with who you say you are or believe you are?
What would you be embarrassed to tell your elderly grandmother about?
What would your dog think of you?
