Integrity

Integrity is adhering to the moral principles of life. It is doing things with honour. It is about  honesty. And integrity is the glue that holds relationships together.

I came across this article about integrity, which is a word often bandied around.  We can confuse it with honesty but it is stronger than that.  I was thinking about the soldiers coming home from Kabul and how they must be feeling about now.

What is integrity?

Integrity is adhering to the moral principles of life. It is doing things with honour. It is about  honesty. And integrity is the glue that holds relationships together.

With integrity we  say, “I wish to pay fair price for all value. Getting something for nothing makes nothing of me. Getting it cheap makes me cheap.”

In your enlightened self-interest, this is one of the better affirmations you could make: “I wish to pay fair price for every value. I wish to give for everything I receive.” This is self-interest, and it’s also integrity. Why would you want to pay for every value and give for everything you receive? So, if you have to pay, it will make something of you. By giving, you have the integrity not to take advantage of others.

Is it always better to grind people down in price ? 

I hear of greedy people boasting about the great deal they just got, how they negotiated the price down to nothing, how they manipulated the other person out of making a profit. Good integrity won’t let you do that. We all shop for the greatest value at the best price, but not at the expense of others.  Because you have cheated someone out of his or her profit. That shouldn’t make you feel good!

Develop the reputation of integrity, so no matter where you go, you will represent your family well, your company well, and yourself well. The  goal is success in the service of others, not at the expense of others. At the end of your road, you want to be able to say, “I fought a good fight, I finished the job, and I kept the faith” as the Apostle Paul once said.

Keep the faith by adhering to the moral principles of life, in the community, and in the office. Keep it with your family, your spouse, and your children. Then, wherever you go represent your family well, your company well, and yourself well.

-Jim Rohn, Leading an Inspired Life