“Oh, yea, Integrity is good. A lot of people need more of that!”
Most often, this is the response I get when telling someone that we teach classes on personal Integrity. We all know at least one person who we think could improve his/her character. (Okay, maybe a lot of people.) You may be thinking right now of a coworker, a present or former boss, a student, a teacher, or a political figure who stands out instantly when you think of “people who need Integrity.”
However, in all the years we have been teaching these classes and refining our definitions and processes, I don’t think I have ever once told someone that we teach Integrity and had them say, “Wow, Integrity? I need more of that. Sign me up!” Why is it that we are so quick to point out that OTHER people need Integrity, but we never like to admit that maybe we aren’t perfect either? In writing this today I am not trying to convince you, personally, that you are an immoral person and need to be better. Instead, I want all of our readers to know that everyone should be working constantly and consistently on their Integrity.
Our instructors go through re-certification at least every two years. Many students who take the class and graduate end up coming back and taking it again. I personally sit at the front desk and listen to classes every month and I am almost always reminded of something that I should have already known or that I never thought about in a certain way before. My point is that we all need Integrity; and we should all continue building our Integrity because the journey is never over.
Trying to live a life where you “just don’t think about it” will likely lead you down some very dark roads. If your goal is just to enjoy life and not get into too much trouble, what happens when you have a bad day? What steps are you taking to avoid getting in trouble? (Hint: “not getting caught” doesn’t count.) Upon what foundation are you building your life? Aiming for a passing grade in school is not a good goal, because hoping to get by with a 70% is like planning to fail. If you study just enough to hopefully pass and aim for 70%, what happens if you miss an extra question or two? On the other hand, if your goal in a class is to excel and get a 100% and you put forth the effort, you will be much less likely to fail the class, even if you miss a few questions.
To put it another way, your life is like flying an airplane: Would you rather fly just high enough to clear the tree line? Or would you fly high enough that there is no way you can hit trees or power lines or water towers? Aim high. Higher than what looks to be “easy” at first. Integrity is not about doing what is easy. It is not even about doing the right thing. Integrity is about being a good, whole, complete, solid, sound and dependable person. If you want Integrity in your house, and you expect Integrity from other people, why should you settle for anything less for yourself?