With the popularity of games, social media and video streaming continuing to rise every year, it’s become more difficult to maintain a healthy work-life balance. Unfortunately, as our time is limited in general this has led many people to adopt bad habits such as procrastination or compromising their values for personal gain.
“Live your life with integrity meaning” is a phrase that means to live in accordance to one’s moral principles. It is a phrase that is often used when one talks about the importance of living a life of integrity. Read more in detail here: live your life with integrity meaning.
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You work for the government and hear about plans for a new retail mall and airport. Once the public announcement is made, the price of real estate in the vicinity is sure to skyrocket. Should you inform a buddy who owns property in the neighborhood and is considering selling? Should you purchase property on your own?
You’ve been having a lot of trouble in a class that you need to pass in order to graduate. You put in a lot of effort for the final, yet you still don’t feel sure about it. Your buddy took the exam the day before and offers to tell you everything that was on it. Should you give him permission?
When your ex-girlfriend visits town, she requests a casual, pleasant meal. Are you going to inform your wife?
What would you do in the situations described above? How long do you think it would take you to make a decision? Integrity is one of those abstract traits that we all want to have but struggle to put into practice in real-life circumstances and challenges. What will we do if we are confronted with questions such as the ones above?
The origins of terms like “integrate” and “entire” are connected to the word integrity. It’s spelled “integro” in Spanish, which means “complete.” Integrity denotes the condition of being whole, undivided, intact, and undamaged. This is in contrast to a condition that is dispersed, fractured, and unfinished. When I was writing this post, I was impressed by how integrity connects so many of the other topics we’ve covered in the Art of Manliness. Integrity is the thread that connects all of a man’s other qualities; it is the mark of a guy who has effectively integrated all excellent values. His whole existence is a cohesive totality.
Why is it important to live a life of integrity?
It’s Much Easier
It may not seem so at first glance, but living a life of integrity is simpler than living a life of deception. While it is generally simpler to make immoral judgments in the near term, it ultimately comes back to haunt you. There’s no true joy in straining to recall your falsehoods, living in constant dread of being discovered, and not feeling like you actually earned your prize. It’s depressing and vacant. Bernie Madoff may have lived large, but did he really enjoy his fortune knowing that his house of cards would eventually fall apart? Integrity offers fullness and serenity to one’s life. Your conscience will be at ease, and you will be able to proudly gaze in the mirror.
It promotes trust.
A guy of integrity is someone who can be trusted by others. They know he will follow through on his promises. He gets promoted at work because he is capable of taking on more responsibilities. When he says he’ll be working late, his wife understands he means it. His friends trust him enough to open out to him and turn to him in times of need. All of your relationships will be better, stronger, and more enjoyable if you choose to live with integrity.
It serves as a foundation for making value judgments.
The questions posed above highlight a number of difficult challenges. We are confronted with comparable difficulties on a daily basis. When faced with difficult decisions, a resolve to live a life of integrity gives you clarity. You will not be at odds with yourself over which course to choose. Instead, you’ll feel the peace of mind that comes from knowing that every part of your life is working together for a common goal.
Integrity in Action
Living a life of integrity is a continuous process that will last till the end of your life. Here are some ideas for cultivating integrity:
Now is the time to make a decision, not later. Many males haven’t given their own value system much consideration. They don’t know who they are or what they stand for, so they wait until a crisis occurs before making a choice. It’s too late at that time. When you’re under a lot of strain, you’re more likely to follow the path that’s easiest at the time. Make a list of things you will and will not compromise on right now. When confronted with ethical dilemmas, the conclusion will have have been taken.
Stop with the justifications. There are a plethora of reasons to jeopardize your integrity. Every day, you hear them on the news as CEOs try to defend their hefty compensation packages. You can always find excuses that appear reasonable and allow you to sleep easier at night. But, in the end, when you weigh your rationalizations against your integrity, you’ll realize you’ve sold away something valuable for a pittance. Nothing is more precious than your good reputation and the ability to look in the mirror with a clean conscience every day.
Don’t even attempt to take the first step. We frequently marvel how a wonderful guy could have botched up so royally when he falls from favor. The fact is that he didn’t wake up one day and resolve to make such a grave error. It began with a smidgeon of deception here and a smidgeon of deception there. He simply started falling down the steep slope of compromise from there. You won’t compromise on the little things if you don’t compromise on the major ones.
Don’t use the means to justify the aim. This is perhaps the most common justification for breaching your moral code. In truth, the road to achieving a goal or making a choice is just as significant as the final destination. Even if you are generously rewarded in the end, your triumph will be hollow if you cannot look back on the methods used to get there with anything except shame.
Take responsibility for your own life. The capacity to own up to the truth that you are in charge of your life is at the core of integrity. Both your achievements and failures are entirely your fault. There is no one else except you.
Integrity in Daily Life
Integrity is a virtue that should be pursued in all aspects of one’s life. Here are some examples of circumstances and regions where it should always be used:
Your Personal Integrity
I once read a blog post by a friend about bumping into someone at a pub and having trouble remembering what tale he had told her about himself. He seems to love convincing individuals he encounters at bars and other places that he is a pilot, a doctor, a soldier, and so on. He said that remembering who he told what might be difficult at times.
While this is an extreme example, how many guys do you know that behave like social chameleons? They are a different person when they are with you, at home, at work, when they travel, and so on. They live as several identities instead of a single self, morphing into who they believe each group wants them to be. Men have “as many separate social identities as there are various groups of folks whose opinion he cares about,” according to philosopher and psychologist William James.
Even if you’re not openly lying like my friend, it may be tiring to switch on a new character in various contexts. You end up feeling disjointed and perplexed about who you are. You should never have to pretend to be someone you’re not in a relationship. Why would you want to be friends with someone who doesn’t like you for who you truly are?
Being honest with oneself is the first step toward honesty. Be yourself. Say exactly what you mean. Do exactly what you claim you’ll do. Talk the talk as well as you walk the walk.
Workplace Integrity
- Work for 40 hours and get paid for 40 hours. You’re being paid to work, not to have fun. There are exceptions, of course; you may be finished with one job and have nothing to do until your next task arrives. You shouldn’t be watching March Madness games if you’re meant to be working on anything.
- Don’t take credit for other people’s accomplishments. Never pass off someone else’s idea as your own. Also, don’t climb on a wagon at the conclusion of a successful ride in which you had no part.
- Be open and honest. Make your business transactions as transparent as possible. Don’t leave anything out that the other party may resent later when they realize what they truly signed.
- It’s not a good idea to take goods. Yes, the company where you work does not compensate you enough. And, yes, that package of paperclips will be missed by no one. But, friend, it’s still stealing.
- Avoid circumstances where a conflict of interest may arise. Get out if you’re in a situation that prohibits you from making entirely honest judgments.
- Walk away if your boss presses you to make immoral judgments. It’s not true that every man has a price; a man of honor values his character above his financial stability. Is it feasible to succeed in your industry while maintaining your integrity? Yes, but only if you are the greatest in your field. You’ll always have to be a notch above the folks who try to get ahead by using shortcuts.
Your Romantic Relationships’ Integrity
- Don’t be a closed book. Keep nothing hidden from your significant other. Even if the secrets don’t harm her, she will lose faith in you if she discovers you’ve been hiding secrets from her.
- Emotional infidelity should be avoided. It’s a given that you’ll have integrity when it comes to physical cheating. Avoiding emotional cheating, which seems harmless at first but quickly escalates to the physical version, is more difficult. It’s time to take a step back if you find yourself discussing more of your thoughts and emotions with a female friend or coworker than you do with your wife.
- When you feel a relationship is done, call it quits. If you’re dating someone and you’ve come to the realization that you and she don’t have a future together, don’t drag her along because you’re frightened to stop things. Break up with her in a manly manner.
Your Friendships’ Integrity
- Make good on your commitments. Always, always, always, always, always, always, always, always, always, always, always, always, always, always, always, always, always, always, always, always The word of a man is his bond. If you tell a buddy you’ll hang out with him and then the lady you like asks you over, that’s a horrible situation. You’ve already made other arrangements.
- Don’t make snide remarks about others. Saying things behind someone’s back that you wouldn’t say in front of them demonstrates a lack of integrity.
- Be the safe deposit box. When a buddy entrusts you with private information, keep it hidden. A violation of confidence in the secret service erodes friendships quicker than anything else.
What does it mean to you to be honest? What are some more instances in which a man must demonstrate real honor? Let us know what you think.
Live a life of integrity. Integrity is the foundation that everything else in your life rests on. If you want to be happy, then live an honest and principled life. Reference: how to be a person of integrity?.
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