Spend just a few minutes on social media and you will see a lie that is pervasive in our society. The lie says that your success, fame, and fortune are the most important things about you, and that you need to achieve those things, no matter the cost - even if it means compromising your morals, cheating the system or hurting others in the process.
Many people believe that pushing others to the side while elevating themselves to get ahead is just part of the process on the path to success. But what if there was a better way? What if you could be wildly successful without sacrificing your soul? What if there was a secret to true and lasting success?
I believe the secret can be found in a frequently overlooked and underutilized principle: Integrity. While it may seem counterintuitive, living with integrity and putting the needs of others above your own actually helps build trust and ultimately leads to your own success. Of course, you will need talent to succeed, but it is integrity and character that maximize your talent and lead to the fulfillment of your greatest potential.
Commitment to doing the right thing isn’t always convenient, but your choices reveal your character and integrity, and this determines the life and success you create.
Living with integrity isn’t always easy but it’s not complicated. Integrity is following through on your commitments. It’s saying what you are going to do and doing what you said. It’s living by core principles instead of an agenda that violates your principles. It’s being honest and truthful. It’s admitting you were wrong when the data and facts present themselves. Integrity is doing the right thing even when it doesn’t benefit you.
I want to encourage you not to sacrifice your principles for short term gain. You may win today but you’ll lose in the end. Turn on the news and you’ll often hear the stories of leaders who achieved the pinnacle of success in their careers, yet their lack of integrity brought everything crashing down around them. The ripple effect of their wrongdoing damaged the reputation of their organization, destroyed their credibility, and devastated relationships with the people they cared about most.
In my work with numerous individuals and organizations it has become clear that integrity has never been more important. So much is at stake, and so many things improve when you do things the right way over time - reputation, legacy, financial success, upward mobility at work, team unity, family, and relationships.
