The
compass that will show you the right way, when you feel lost, when
you are on the verge of losing your path, when you don't know anymore
the right direction, when you are confuse and frustrated, the compass
that will help you reach your destination, that compass that always
shows you the north of the integrity, don't you ever lose that
compass and don't you ever ignore it!
’’
INTEGRITY is
choosing your thoughts and actions based on values rather than
personal gains. ’’
Being
integrity means being whole. Being complete.
’’
To thine own self be
true.’’
Be
yourself! Respect the truth of your own identity! Be integrity
towards yourself, always know and tell yourself the truth about
yourself, don't deceive yourself!
Those
sum up the meaning I choose for '' to thine own self be true'',
though the context in Shakespeare's play, Hamlet, is quite different:
Polonius advises his son, Laertes, in a hypocrite way, to be
''true'' to himself, in such a manner, that what follows, as night
follows the day, be that he will not be able to be ''false'' to any
other person.
The
sense that Polonius intends is that his son must follow his
interest - obtaining for himself the most advantageous results and
avoiding the actions that are disadvantageous for his image, that
ruin his public status and perception, as lending or borrowing money,
engaging in relationships with women of doubtful condition and/or
morality.
The
one giving the advice, Polonius, is exactly the opposite of his
incentive: he manipulates and controls his son, as he does with other
people, lies, cheats, spies, conceives intrigues, machinations,
schemes, makes use of the malefic art of dissimulation and
concealment, by falsely promoting and aggrandizing virtues, and thus
implying his own virtues ( nonexistent substantially), with the
purpose of disguising his true intentions and with the purpose of
protecting and attaining this interests, born out of envy, greed,
malice and thirst for power.
He
does everything except being true to himself and to the others, his
actions leading to the tragic end of himself, of his son, Laertes,
and of his daughter, Ophelia.
’’
INTEGRITY is doing
the right thing. Even when no one is watching. ’’
If
you succeed to be integrity towards yourself, you will be integrity
towards the others.
’’
Wisdom is knowing
the right path to take... Integrity is taking it! ’’
Most
of the times the right path isn't the easiest.
Most
of the time, though it has already been hard enough for you to decide
which is the right path, it is even more difficult to really and
truly decide to follow that path, and yet more difficult than
actually walking the path is not to give in to the temptation of
renunciation, not choosing the facile and comfort instead of
integrity and persevering in your integrity.
The
balance of integrity has on one side RESPECT, made out of empathy,
lack of blame, emotional mastery and humility, and on the other side
RESPONSIBILITY, made out of self confidence, accountability, focus on
the whole and courage.
When
what you say and what you think, what you believe and what you feel,
what you do and how you act coalesce and become one, then you will
have succeeded to define yourself as integrity.
Think
about the times you thought and said something, yet you believed and
felt different.
Think
about the times when what you did was in complete opposition with
what you said and thought.
Think
about the times when you acted against what you truly believe,
against what you feel, though you could have been, thought, said and
acted according to what you have already decided.
What
impact had all these ways of being and all these actions and type of
behavior upon the others?
Were
you content with yourself or were you disappointed with
yourself?
Did
you make others sad? Did you falsify their expectations? What do you
think caused all of that?
Is
it possible that the main cause was the lack of integrity, and first
of all, the lack of integrity towards yourself ?
You
can now choose a different way of being, a different path:
’’
Have the courage to
say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing
because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life
with integrity.’’ - W. Clement Stone.
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