INTEGRITY

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.