Living with Integrity

Integrity means being whole, undivided. It's being the same person whether anyone is watching or not. The same man at work and at home. The same man online and in person. The same man in public and in private. When you have integrity, there's nothing hidden that could undo you.

Lack of integrity is exhausting. You have to remember which version of yourself you showed to which people. You live with the constant fear of exposure. Building a life on hidden compromises creates a foundation that can collapse at any moment.

What Integrity Looks Like

Honesty: Telling the truth, even when it's costly. Not exaggerating, not hiding, not spinning.

Consistency: Your behavior doesn't change based on who's in the room.

Keeping promises: Your word means something. If you say you'll do it, you do it.

Owning mistakes: When you mess up, you admit it. No cover-ups, no blame-shifting.

Living your values: What you claim to believe shows up in how you actually live.

Integrity isn't about being perfect. It's about being genuine. It's about living in alignment with what you claim to value, and when you fail, owning it honestly.

Where Integrity Breaks Down

• Telling small lies to avoid discomfort
• Hiding things from your wife
• Acting differently at work than at home
• Breaking promises when it's inconvenient
• Cheating in small ways (taxes, expenses, etc.)
• Public persona that doesn't match private behavior

Why It Matters

Trust: Everything in relationships depends on trust. Integrity builds it; its absence destroys it.

Self-respect: You can't respect yourself if you know you're a fraud.

Example: Your kids are watching. They'll become what you model, not what you preach.

Freedom: Living with integrity means nothing to hide, nothing to fear.

Your Action Steps

This week: Identify one area where your public and private life don't match. Bring them into alignment.

This month: If you've been hiding something from your wife, come clean. The short-term pain is worth the long-term trust.

This quarter: Ask someone who knows you well where they see gaps between your stated values and your actions.