Integrity
Yesterday, I was writing about being "me". Authenticity. Not putting on a performance unless that's what I was really doing. As I think about that more, it brings me back to a foundational character trait: Integrity.
In Taekwondo, we talk about the 5 Tenets of Taekwondo. At least in our taekwondo family we do. Courtesy, Integrity, Perseverance, Self-Control and Indomitable Spirit. Courtesy (or respect) is the first thing we teach the brand new student. The first technique we teach them is how to bow properly. How to demonstrate respect. To themselves, to others, to the flag, to the room they work out in...everything and everybody in every place is worthy of respect. Simple courtesy.
The other Tenets are taught along the path of the student in a variety of ways, usually through sweat and working out, in one way or another. Integrity is something that grows on the inside by making a series of choices.
I've written before about "doing the next right thing". Well, Integrity goes even beyond that. It amounts to doing the right thing, no matter who is watching, or more importantly, when NO one is watching. It's having Integrity in the little things, so that when the big things come along, there is no hesitation, no equivocation, no rationalization. There is only doing the next right thing.
Integrity is being constant, true and faithful. It is being able to be trusted. In the Bible, the Parable of the Talents comes to mind. The end result is if you are faithful with a little, it builds the habit of being faithful, so eventually you can be entrusted with greater responsibility/expectation.
Do you have people like that in your life? Do you have people who you would simply trust with...anything and everything? We are blessed with people in our lives like that. We have friends who have "house-sat" for us. When we've gone out of town for extended periods of time, we have people in our lives that we simply invite to come and live at our house. They take care of the animals, and simply live at our place. I know that may not seem unusual to some people, but when you stop and think about it, that is putting a great deal of faith and trust into another individual. It's a statement that all I have I am placing in the trust of someone else. Why? Because I believe those people to be people of integrity. I have watched them, I have seen them going about their lives, making choices, and I have seen them demonstrate their level of commitment to doing the next right thing enough so that I am willing to unconditionally put my trust in them.
How does one build this Integrity thing? As I mentioned before, it's a matter of habit, I believe. It's not allowing yourself to compromise on "right" and "wrong".
Sounds simple, doesn't it? I mean, everybody knows the difference between right and wrong. Goodness, we have laws in our society that help us define right and wrong. Even more importantly, we have the basis on which our whole system of law and order were built helping us to understand right and wrong. So being people of Integrity should be a walk in the park, right?
Let's try this: breaking the law is "wrong", correct? Quick aside: I'm not in agreement with the statement that all laws are good or correct. I happen to believe the same thing that Lincoln said. The law is the law. As long as it is there, we are to abide by the law. If it's a bad law, there are means to change that law, and we should do our utmost to do so. But until we change the law through legislative recourse, then we are to abide by the law. Granted, that's a Voorheesian Paraphrase, but in a nutshell, that's what he said.
So, back to breaking the law. Breaking the law is "wrong". We should uphold and obey the law if we are to be people of Integrity.
So...anybody gone over the speed limit lately? Like in the past week? Month? Year?
But Lar...EVERYbody speeds. What about that guy that just blew past me? See? HE is speeding.
That's not my point. My point is...have I gone over the speed limit lately? I can't control the guy in the lane next to me, or the fool that thinks his 4-wheel drive pickup is immune to black ice. I only have control over the choices that I make.
So when I need a gut-check on Integrity, I usually take a look at my speedometer. If I can be faithful in the little things, I find it much easier to be a man of Integrity when it comes to the bigger things.
Why does it matter? Because somebody is always watching. I may not know it, but somebody is always watching and learning by simply observing me.
Maybe that's tomorrow's topic...being a Leader -- even if you don't want to be.
Today I choose to be a man of Integrity.
My two cents worth today.
In Taekwondo, we talk about the 5 Tenets of Taekwondo. At least in our taekwondo family we do. Courtesy, Integrity, Perseverance, Self-Control and Indomitable Spirit. Courtesy (or respect) is the first thing we teach the brand new student. The first technique we teach them is how to bow properly. How to demonstrate respect. To themselves, to others, to the flag, to the room they work out in...everything and everybody in every place is worthy of respect. Simple courtesy.
The other Tenets are taught along the path of the student in a variety of ways, usually through sweat and working out, in one way or another. Integrity is something that grows on the inside by making a series of choices.
I've written before about "doing the next right thing". Well, Integrity goes even beyond that. It amounts to doing the right thing, no matter who is watching, or more importantly, when NO one is watching. It's having Integrity in the little things, so that when the big things come along, there is no hesitation, no equivocation, no rationalization. There is only doing the next right thing.
Integrity is being constant, true and faithful. It is being able to be trusted. In the Bible, the Parable of the Talents comes to mind. The end result is if you are faithful with a little, it builds the habit of being faithful, so eventually you can be entrusted with greater responsibility/expectation.
Do you have people like that in your life? Do you have people who you would simply trust with...anything and everything? We are blessed with people in our lives like that. We have friends who have "house-sat" for us. When we've gone out of town for extended periods of time, we have people in our lives that we simply invite to come and live at our house. They take care of the animals, and simply live at our place. I know that may not seem unusual to some people, but when you stop and think about it, that is putting a great deal of faith and trust into another individual. It's a statement that all I have I am placing in the trust of someone else. Why? Because I believe those people to be people of integrity. I have watched them, I have seen them going about their lives, making choices, and I have seen them demonstrate their level of commitment to doing the next right thing enough so that I am willing to unconditionally put my trust in them.
How does one build this Integrity thing? As I mentioned before, it's a matter of habit, I believe. It's not allowing yourself to compromise on "right" and "wrong".
Sounds simple, doesn't it? I mean, everybody knows the difference between right and wrong. Goodness, we have laws in our society that help us define right and wrong. Even more importantly, we have the basis on which our whole system of law and order were built helping us to understand right and wrong. So being people of Integrity should be a walk in the park, right?
Let's try this: breaking the law is "wrong", correct? Quick aside: I'm not in agreement with the statement that all laws are good or correct. I happen to believe the same thing that Lincoln said. The law is the law. As long as it is there, we are to abide by the law. If it's a bad law, there are means to change that law, and we should do our utmost to do so. But until we change the law through legislative recourse, then we are to abide by the law. Granted, that's a Voorheesian Paraphrase, but in a nutshell, that's what he said.
So, back to breaking the law. Breaking the law is "wrong". We should uphold and obey the law if we are to be people of Integrity.
So...anybody gone over the speed limit lately? Like in the past week? Month? Year?
But Lar...EVERYbody speeds. What about that guy that just blew past me? See? HE is speeding.
That's not my point. My point is...have I gone over the speed limit lately? I can't control the guy in the lane next to me, or the fool that thinks his 4-wheel drive pickup is immune to black ice. I only have control over the choices that I make.
So when I need a gut-check on Integrity, I usually take a look at my speedometer. If I can be faithful in the little things, I find it much easier to be a man of Integrity when it comes to the bigger things.
Why does it matter? Because somebody is always watching. I may not know it, but somebody is always watching and learning by simply observing me.
Maybe that's tomorrow's topic...being a Leader -- even if you don't want to be.
Today I choose to be a man of Integrity.
My two cents worth today.
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