Integrity is defined as making decisions based on your values rather than on societal pressure or personal gains. Integrity has been consistently ranked by researchers and psychologists amongst the top most important character traits of a person.
While living with integrity isn’t always easy, here are a few ways to invite more integrity into your life:
Avoid Exaggeration and Hyperbole
The desire to be faster, bigger and better is easy to understand; we live in a competitive world, after all. To seem better, some of us might “fudge the numbers” a bit. We make ourselves out to be something that we aren’t.
While it can be tempting to exaggerate or overestimate our abilities, you should resist the urge. You can’t live a life of integrity if you base it on a lie. You should avoid even something as small as adding a few extra inches to our heights or exaggerating the truth if you wish to embrace integrity.
Avoid Making Promises You Cannot Keep
You must stop committing to things then not following through. There is nothing worse for your integrity than promising someone something and not delivering it. While some people consciously make promises they know they won’t keep, most of us do it because of our inability to say no to requests for assistance.
Saying no is important. It’s better to say no to requests than saying yes and not following through.
Change your Definition of Success
In today’s world, many define success as lots of money, big houses, and fancy cars. However, this definition of success leads to compromises in our values so we can achieve said success.
It isn’t always easy to do the right thing, especially when you stand to make more money when you compromise your integrity. When success is defined as a quality of our character, we will find it easier to make decisions without compromising.
Carefully Consider Every Choice
Living a life of integrity is hardest when you feel you are not being watched or noticed. When people feel no one is watching, they are more likely to cut corners, make bad decisions, or compromise their integrity. An easy way to overcome this temptation is thoroughly analyzing every choice you are faced with.
You can do this by asking yourself two simple questions:
- Would I make this choice and stand by it if everyone is aware of the decision?
- Would I be proud of this decision afterward?
Have a Good Support System
The most important way to be a person of integrity is to have a strong support system. There are times we will be tempted beyond our ability to resist; we need friends to hold us accountable and keep us strong.
