By Gerald Gillis – Are you sometimes confused by the meaning of the term integrity? Is it a complicated set of principles that can vary according to a particular moral consideration or a specific set of circumstances? Or is it simply doing the right thing because it is the right thing to do? Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote that, “Character is higher than intellect.” What does integrity have to do with character? Can you have one without the other? Think of integrity as the quality of having high moral principles, of being reliable and trustworthy. It does not mean you are near perfection as a human being, but rather that you can be trusted with words and deeds. Doing the right thing because it is the right thing to do? Of course. If you are described by others as a person of integrity, would it also follow that you have high character? Yes, absolutely. Now think of groups of people who are presumed to have integrity. Judges, doctors, military officers, and ministers come to mind. True, we can point to examples in each of the preceding groups of dishonest, immoral, and perhaps even criminal behavior. As with any group-business, politics, sports, education, journalism, etc.-we don’t need to search far and wide to discover similar failings. Indeed, it is our human nature to err. Next, think how hard it would be for our society to function if trust and honesty were the exception rather than the rule. Samuel Johnson noted that, “Integrity without knowledge is weak and useless, and knowledge without integrity is dangerous and dreadful.” As a group our elected leaders are losing the confidence of the American populace precisely because we are becoming conditioned by their saying one thing and doing another, sometimes blatantly and defiantly. Business leaders who shamelessly enrich themselves at the expense of their customers, stockholders, and employees reflect poorly on their firms and industries. Judges who take bribes and teachers who sexually abuse their students give us all pause, and disappoint us greatly. Why? Because they failed to do the right thing. It need not be any more complicated than that. For you, if integrity means doing the right thing, even if nobody knows or notices, then you understand the concept. If you behave consistently and use your moral principles, reliability, and trustworthiness as your guiding lights, you can rightfully be described as a person of integrity. It is a description that is earned, and one that should be prized. If you have it, guard and nurture it. If you don’t yet have it, pursue it zealously. It is worth the change in behavior you will have to make to earn it. Gerald Gillis is the author of the award-winning historical novel “Shall Never See So Much.” Visit his website at http://www.geraldgillis.com and his blog at http://geraldgillis.blogspot.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gerald_Gillis http://EzineArticles.com/?What-Does-Integrity-Mean-to-You?&id=6285098
What Does Integrity Mean to You?
The Tiger Woods Media Feeding Frenzy
Isn’t it time for the sharks to retreat and leave Tiger Woods alone? Once the media gets the smell of blood in the water and a taste of flesh they just can’t put it down.
He messed up. Big time. He hurt his wife, his family, his career and, most of all, himself. He admitted it. Other stories have surfaced now and each one creates more and more of a frenzy. I am reminded of the story in the Bible of Jesus defending the adulterous woman by saying, “Let he who has no sin cast the first stone.” Everyone turned and walked away.(John 8:11)
Perhaps we should try that now. How many, if they were honest, would need to turn and walk away?
Unfortunately, adultery is not uncommon these days (or was it in any day?) We have seen these scandals over the years and they involved the most prestigious clergymen, priests, politicians, celebrities, and. yes, journalists, from all fields and many different countries. It happens among the not-sp-famous, too, but their transgressions don’t get splashed all over the front page of the newspapers and tabloids or used for the lead story on the evening news. They destroy their families silently.
My bet is that many men (and women) around the globe are feeling grateful that they have not been caught. Are the ones who are the loudest with this story the most guilty? Does the line from Hamlet fit the media-accusers – “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.” Hamlet Act 3, scene 2, 222–230 Is their own infidelity causing them to use Tiger as a whipping boy to deflect attention from their own indiscretions?
I am not defending Tiger Woods. I think what he did was absolutely wrong – also very human. I know the pain his wife feels because I was there once. The pain of deception is horrendous and she is probably the one suffering most from all this negative publicity. It will take a long time for her to heal and the scars will most likely not go away. The children, when they grow older, will be able to read about their “unfaithful father” if they choose to do so and they will find many sources. They don’t deserve that. I’m not saying the journalists should never print such news but enough is enough.
As a society we set him up for disaster in a way. At the age of three he beat Bob Hope in a putting contest and when he was five, he was featured on the television show That’s Incredible! At eight he won his first formal competition and from then on he won a series of trophies and broke records everywhere. He was almost a golf legend by the time he entered college at age 19. Read more: Tiger Woods Biography – childhood, children, parents, name, history, mother, young, son, old, information, born, college, time, year http://www.notablebiographies.com/We-Z/Woods-Tiger.html#ixzz0ZO5PZbUG
When, in those younger years, did he have the opportunity to test his boundaries, to know the consequences of his actions, and to pick himself up after failure and start over like most of us do? I don’t know the answer to this but I do know that we all need to test our wings sometime in your life and we need the freedom to learn from our mistakes.Did he have the “privilege” of making mistakes and learning from them?
Fame brings with it great rewards and also great risks and multiple temptations. A man who is handsome, wealthy and famous is surrounded by beautiful women who don’t care if he is married. They don’t mind destroying his family. He is a target. Sometimes they hit the bulls-eye.
It is a glamorous but not an easy life.
So isn’t it time we back off and let him heal?
Has he learned his lesson? I don’t know.
Is he a human being who deserves forgiveness and a chance to make restitution? Absolutely.
Think about the mistakes you’ve made that were not made public knowledge. What would you want done for you right now?
Tiger and his family need some time and space for forgiveness and recuperation. The press and the gossip mongers should back off now and allow them to have that.
A look at Greed in today’s news
I clicked on ABC’s Internet news this morning just to see what is going on. I didn’t watch any news yesterday – I like to keep one day unaffected by the virus we call negativity – so this morning I took a quick look. I don’t linger here lest I overdose on it and it impinges on my day.
I was struck by two stories about greed – one man found dead in his swimming pool and two politicians who just keep on taking and taking and taking and hold their heads up high.
The first story is about a partner of Bernie Madoff, Jeffry Picower, (Madoff, as you probably know is sitting in prison for bilking billions of dollars out of investors). Jeffry Picower made over $7 Billion in the Madoff scheme – yes, Billion. To his credit, he was a generous philanthropist, giving approximately $270 million to charitable causes. But does that excuse the out and out greed of ruining the financial status of thousands of people who relied on their investments for their retirement, college funds, or nest egg? How many people did they harm with their greed? My question, “Is it really charity when you use money you’ve stolen from people struggling to save for the future and give it to someone else?” What is going on in the mind of a man who amasses billions of dollars that has been stolen from others and wants to keep on taking? You know the sayings: “What goes around, comes around” and “You reap what you sow.” The investigators are trying to determine the cause of death and we also know that his harvest was reaped.
To watch the story click http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=8913385
The second greed story is about “leadership pacs” now run by approximately 400 U.S. Senators and Congressmen. The news story states:
House Minority Leader John Boehner, Georgia Senator Saxby Chambliss, North Carolina Senator Richard Burr and Iowa Congressman Tom Latham were seen by ABC News at the famed Greenbrier resort in West Virginia for a July golf outing paid for by a PAC. Dubbed “Americans for a Conservative Course,” the event raised money for the lawmakers’ ‘leadership PACs’ – funds that are separate from politicians’ campaign committees. Campaign finance watchdogs say that politicians use the PACs as “political slush funds” – financing political ambitions and sometimes a lifestyle that is often otherwise beyond their means. To watch this clip go to http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerindex?id=8677086
Greed. Defined as excessive desire to acquire or possess more (especially more material wealth) than one needs or deserve. It is avarice: reprehensible acquisitiveness; insatiable desire for wealth (personified as one of the deadly sins) http://www.google.com/search?&q=define%3AGreed
I’m not talking about having enough to live comfortably and having savings to live comfortably when you’re older. I’m not talking about legitimate earnings. I’m talking about trampling on others so you can have more – and more, and more. I’m not talking about having a beautiful home and lovely things. I’m talking about taking from those who have a little so you can have more, even if you don’t need it. Like Picower or the Senators and Congressmen who live “the good life” at your expense because a loophole allows them to circumvent all the laws passed to prevent it.
How many of the unemployed could be helped by the $7 billion Picower stole from investors? How many people could fund their dream with the money? How many could send their kids to college? How many jobs could be created by businesses allowed to flourish with a little “seed money?” How many people could survive financially if their money had not been stolen? How many seniors are now living in poverty because Picower and Madoff stole their investments? Greed doesn’t care. It just takes.
With the politicians it’s not money on such a grand scale but it’s greed just the same. The money generally comes from large corporations in the form of contributions to the pacs but who really pays? We. the consumers do by paying higher prices at the pump, in the grocery story, when we buy a car or a computer, in the department store or when we see a movie. Those who give large sums of money pass the expense on to us. Does this make you feel good – that you’re contributing to the fine lifestyle of those who are supposedly representing you in the nation’s capitol? You wouldn’t want them to miss out on a weekend of golfing at one of the most prestigious resorts in the country now, would you?
Greed doesn’t live in mansions and on Capitol Hill alone. It also lives in individuals and in families. You’ve seen it. One person wants “it all” at the expense of everyone else around and they are, in any way possible, going to get it. You’ve seen men who have to drive a Lexus or a Rolls Royce while their wife and children go without, or the woman who has a closet full of shoes and designer clothes and her children wear clothes from Goodwill. That’s still greed.
Take a look inside. Do you grab all you can get at the expense of everyone around you? What to you constitutes “enough?” Can you ever be satisfied or will you always want more – and more – regardless of how you have to get it? It is a condition that can stifle you soul and create nothing for you but misery as you sit surrounded by all your “stuff.”
A Few Ways To Get MAD!
I definitely got your attention if you are reading this. I apologize if this title upsets/offends anyone; trust me, it’s not my intention to do so.
Moving on, this article is strictly for personal development and the word MAD is an acronym for Motivated, Authentic and Determined, so the title should read A Few Ways To Get Motivated, Authentic and Determined.
The post in context:
My goal today is to describe and highlight a few ways of becoming Motivated, being Authentic and showing some Determination. I feel turning the searchlight on these factors will enhance our personal growth and development.
M) Motivated/Motivation
The free dictionary defines being motivated as a move to action. The underlying factor of motivation is a belief that success, progress and achieving whatever you’ve set out to do (goals) are possible.
Here are a few ways of getting/staying motivated:
- Learn to work with and keep to deadlines
- Have goal oriented targets that are feasible and realistic.
- Deadlines keep you focused, create a target driven mentality and above all gives you reasons for making progress.
- Take a break where necessary
- It’s important we get rest from the hustle and bustle of the world around us (particularly London laugh!!!) in order to recharge our human batteries. The body can only do so much so it’s important to take a break. Besides, having some form of rest in worthwhile activities allows productivity, aids in developing strategies and attempts to clarify so many issues going through your mind.
- Curb your distractions.There are so many things crying out for our attention. Just switch on the television and you would see what I mean. Be very selective of what you get involved in and learn to create a productive environment which yields positive results enhancing your personal growth and development.
- Always have a plan
- Get organized and be prepared to handle the issues of life because things may not always go the way we want. It’s important to identify what needs to be done first and also have an alternative or back up plans breaking them into simple, doable and achievable goals.
- Celebrate your achievements.Feel good about how much progress you’ve made and what steps were involved in getting you there. Celebrate your achievements no matter how little they seem. This is an important factor in getting motivated to do something again.
A) Authentic
Merriam Webster’s Dictionary defines the word authentic as being true to ones own personality. Being authentic is a whole post on it’s own but I would briefly highlight a few ways of being authentic in your everyday life.
Here are a few ways of being authentic:
- Know yourself
- Know who/what you are.
- Know where you come from, your background and upbringing.
- Know who/what you represent. If you fail to acknowledge and gather understanding about whom you are, what your talents and skills are…. it may be difficult accomplishing anything in life or becoming motivated to making progress in your life.
- Wake up and smell the coffee, don’t be or live in someone else’s shadows. Choose to live life for the right reasons.
- Be accountable
- Learn to take responsibility for all your actions either positive or negative. It fosters your personal growth and development. Try as much as you can to know what to say, when to say, how to say and when to do what you say. Be a man or woman of integrity and be known to keep your words, promises, secrets etc. Be someone who is very responsible.
- Fight your obsessions. You’d notice I used the word fight to emphasize the importance of dealing with your obsessions. Obsessions could be catastrophic if not managed properly. You have to face your obsessions with so much zeal because if not under your control often lead to addictions and these range from over-eating, over-spending, excessive shopping, gambling, sex, drug abuse etc.
- Tolerate People.I know there are quite a few people who can be totally annoying and energy drainers but my focus isn’t to resolve those kinds of relationships rather, it’s to remind you of the basic things in relating with people such as forgiveness, compassion, understanding…. When you build your tolerance level, you create an opportunity for building positive relationships.
- Deal with your ego. This is a difficult thing to do but it’s a very important factor in being authentic. Your ego can prevent you from developing good and lasting relationships. It could also get in get in your way. Try as much as possible to keep a TAB on your ego.
D) Determined/Determination
This is the act of fixing or settling a purpose. It involves defined intentions in making, fulfilling or arriving at certain decisions in order to achieve success.
Here are a few ways to show determination:
- Show consistency
- Be firm and consistent in all your decisions and way of life. Get rid of all self doubts, discouragement and the habit of procrastinating important things that will shape your life’s purpose.
- Manage Your Time Properly.Formulate various steps to take which will push you further into making progress and allocate the amount of time necessary to accomplish each task. Proper time management allows you to keep track of your progress and this will help in motivating you to success.
- Set Goals. Break down your big goals into smaller goals which can be achieved easily. Starting with easier goals could give you the momentum needed to tackle harder goals and achieve them. Always stick to your goals and think of what can be achieved when you become successful. If you want something so bad then you should work hard for it, thus your goals should be meaningful and important to you.
- Think Carefully.Think carefully before making any important decisions. Don’t be in a rush to hastily make decisions under the pressure and influence of people around you. Try as much as possible to gain control and not be easily influenced by the negative environments and conditions surrounding you. Always seek wise counsel where necessary.
In summary being MAD (Motivated, Authentic and Determined) isn’t a bad thing but rather is a useful tool for your personal development. Why not take action today to grow in motivation, be authentic and show some determination.
On a final note, I look forward to more suggestions/ways of getting MAD! (Motivated, Authentic and Determined).
Ayo Olaniyan is a certified Unitive™ Life Coach and Counsellor. He is a member of the European Mentoring and Coaching Council, an accredited professional counsellor with the Counselling Society and the author of Expanding Your Horizons. Visit http://discoveringpurpose.co.uk or send an email to ayo@discoveringpurpose.co.uk.
Remember, it’s about creating a purpose driven life through personal development.
Does Your Word (Personal Integrity) Mean Anything?
By Curtis Graham -
Probably not! As disturbing as it is, are you proud of it? Give me one reason why I should take your word about anything! Is your personal integrity at risk? Are there any people around that actually keep their word about something?
When you hear the words, “I’ll call you right back,” what are the odds that they never will. Experience in today’s world tells us that one’s “word” is useless, or at the very least, unreliable. Glenn Van Ekeren in his The Speaker’s Sourcebook calls this antic “Famous Fibs.” It seems we live in a world of excuses. Or maybe just call it what it is—lies!
Is it a fear of commitment when you give your word that you will do this or that?
Being raised on a small farm by my grandparents in the 1950s, gave me a real view of what it means to place value on one’s word (it says—I promise). And how critically important the words are that come out of your mouth. Back then coming out of World War II was a time for reliance on one another. Farmers knew that relying on the neighbor’s help baling hay before the rain depended on the neighbor’s word that he would help—and he did!
Today, verbal promises are nothing more than tongue wagging appeasements to fill up the time when one should be speaking the truth. Wouldn’t it do your heart good to hear the real truth once in a while?
If you are on a mission of self-improvement, this is a great place to start. Take a moment and think of the benefits derived from making your “word” count for something (a promise kept).
· You are known to be reliable. It means others trust you and know that they can depend on you. Is that important to you?
· You become known among friends, family, and work associates as dependable. It puts you ahead of everyone else as a leader. And it is perceived as a profound respect for others, their time, their planning, their efforts, and their life.
· You become highly respected. You don’t have to earn it. It comes to you spontaneously as a result of your dependability and reliability—when you say something, you mean it.
· You become trusted. If there ever was a quality of a person that fuels the ego, stimulates the self-esteem, and brings others closer, it is being trusted.
· You find peace of mind that others never discover. Why? Because your mind and spirit are working together in harmony to let you understand that the qualities you are showing others, helps them—and they begin to see the value of keeping their word.
· You evolve into a role model. Oh yes! You may not want to assume that role—it isn’t all that bad! It’s a standard that others aspire to, a compliment to your integrity, and an honor that is associated with doing the right thing.
· Your integrity is multiplied. When that happens it brings with it favors, opportunities, and career levels that you never thought possible.
Maybe you can’t handle all these powerful dividends? Fine, just expect to be trampled by those who are rushing to the front ahead of you. No one has an axe to grind here—except you. The standards that mentors and others hold you to are far below the standards you hold yourself to.
Meryl Runion sums it all up in a remarkable book that you will find inspiring. Her, “How to Use Power Phrases to Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say, & Get What You Want,” is a clear presentation of how progress in our lives is stalemated by our lack of good communication, and indifference to what we mean when we say it.
It’s your move!
The author, Curt Graham, is a retired medical doctor who has written extensively on many topics over his 35 plus years in active medical practice. He has been published in Modern Physician, and is credited as an “Expert Author” by EzineArticles.com web directory.
For more detailed and expanded articles concerning obtaining better health care, among others, that are found on his website, click link below now! http://www.HealthCare-Toolbox.com
Please feel free to copy, send, or distribute this article at anytime as long as the article is not changed, and the author bio resource box is included with the article as written.
Copyright 2006, L & C Internet Enterprises, Inc., Curt Graham, All Rights Reserved.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Curtis_Graham
Learning Lessons – The Easier “Hard” Way
By Steve Wickham http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Steve_Wickham
It is said we learn either one of two ways: the easy way or the hard way. The theory is this — the easy way of learning things is via observing others and learning from their mistakes, versus the hard way, which is learning lessons from our own hard mistakes. [Read more...]
Top 5 Tips For An Enjoyable Christmas
By Wendy Hearn
Christmas is a time when we want to experience love, joy and peace, but for many people it’s an extremely difficult and stressful time. On the one hand, you look forward to enjoying this time and on the other hand, you dread what it’s really going to be like. However, it can be enjoyable and these are my top 5 tips to have the Christmas you want and be more your unique self this year.
1. Define your ideal Christmas. [Read more...]
How to Enjoy the Holidays
By Dr. Mona Spiegel
The Danger
Do you enjoy the holidays? Many people get together on Christmas to celebrate the holiday and strengthen family bonds. As the generations sit around the table, enjoying the delicious food, they have the opportunity to revel in their unity as a family regardless of what happens the rest of the year.
Sounds ideal. More often than not, however, when you assemble with your extended family you will recall past hurts or feelings of neglect. Your emotional pain could then easily outweigh your enjoyment of being together again. [Read more...]
Top 10 Ways to Ensure New Years Resolution Success
By Amy Ahlers
Did you know that fewer than 10% of people who set New Years’ Resolutions actually achieve them? How can you ensure YOUR success? Try using the Top 10 Tips below.
1. Write Them Down. It’s a fact: writing down your goals gives you a higher chance of success.
2. Commit. Move beyond the land of “good ideas” to the land of true “commitment”. Make the decision that you will show up for your goals. Perhaps you can do a ritual or ceremony to symbolize your commitment.
3. Tell People. Let your biggest fans in on your new commitments and goals for the year. [Read more...]
Taking Responsibility for Your Actions
By Audrey Marlene
What Does It Mean?
Why is it so difficult for us to accept responsibility for our actions? There is a story of two parents with two children who attended 5 schools before 10th grade all within a 20 mile radius all because they claimed the schools were horrible and the teachers showed favoritism. At what point would these parents accept responsibility for their children’s involvement in the problems they experienced? [Read more...]
