3 KEYS FOR LIVING IN INTEGRITY

“To become a person of integrity, you must make a commitment to be on the side of truth.” - Terry Mante

LIVING in integrity could be hard but compromising integrity could be quite expensive. Integrity is hard because it is not cheap. It requires a price characterized by toughness, discipline and sacrifice. Although the price for integrity is high, its prize is enviable.

How can we integrate the virtue of integrity in our lives? What can we do to ensure that our lives are characterised by integrity? I have three ideas for you: Speak the truth, synchronize your life and sincerely turn around.

Speak the truth

To become a person of integrity, you must make a commitment to be on the side of truth. Sometimes, it seems convenient to compromise the truth in order to look good in the eyes of people. In the long term however, it turns out that telling a lie under any circumstance is a serious breach of one’s honour, dignity and conscience.

There are times when telling the truth may put you out of favour with people. Scenes like that put us in awkward situations and could compel us to sacrifice the truth for favour with people. Yielding to such a temptation may be enchanting momentarily but later, you will realise that even the people you sacrificed for will not have trust in you.

Synchronize your life

One of the definitions for integrity is “the state of being whole or undivided.” Practicing integrity in life means building a life that is together. It is a life that has no chasm between what is private and what is public. Real integrity is a life that does in private what it portrays to the public. It is a life that is not afraid of being caught.

Legendary talk show host Oprah Winfrey considers real integrity as “doing the right thing, knowing that nobody is going to know whether you did it or not.” If something is right in public, it must be right in secret too.

Sincerely turn around

Although integrity is a commitment to say and do what is right all the time, you will certainly not do what is right all the time. As human as we are, there would be times when we shall be sincerely wrong. Sometimes, we say or do things with the conviction that we are right but it turns out that what we perceived to be right was not exactly so.

People of integrity do not invent excuses to justify actions or expressions based on false perceptions. Rather, they boldly admit their error and change course to move on the path of truth.

It is also likely that once a while, you may yield to the temptation to compromise the truth. If that happens, your conscience will prompt you. Don’t defy your conscience. You may be found out. Don’t attempt to defend yourself when what you do in darkness comes to light. It may be shameful but if you admit your mistake, you will set yourself on the path to regaining your integrity.

Two rewards of integrity

• Trusted identity: Integrity gives you a good name. It gives you an authentic voice. It gives weight to your character and enhances your reputation.
• Trans generational impact: People who live with integrity are able to pass on enduring legacies. If you live in truth, what remains of your life will stand the test of time. You will touch lives even beyond life.

You may not be perfect. You may not be right every time but integrity will earn you credibility and respect.

© 2014 Terry Mante

CEO, Personal Development Network

Accra, Ghana