Integrity #2
Honesty and integrity go together. It would be difficult to have one without the other.
While you may not tell egregious “whoppers” of untruth, you may be tempted to slip little fibs into daily conversation more often than you think. To be sure, you will do well to engage in exercises to encourage integrity.
The following exercises were adapted from a list compiled by Psychologist Jonathan Haidt at the University of Virginia.
- Refrain from telling small, white lies to friends (including insincere compliments). If you do tell one, admit it and apologize right away.
- Monitor yourself and make a list of every time you tell a lie, even if it’s a small one. Try to make your daily list shorter every day.
- At the end of each day, identify those instances in which you were attempting to impress others or appear to be someone you are not. Resolve not to do it again.
As you practice your integrity muscle, I think you will find it refreshing. You will honestly have good reasons to feel good about yourself!
Worth Repeating
Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody’s going to know whether you did it or not.
— Oprah Winfrey
