Integrity: Doing What is Right BECAUSE It is the Right Thing to Do

Integrity is: Doing the right thing because it is theAndrew Carnegie: he was honest about hard work.
right thing to do.Integrity is NOT: simply standing byHe was once interviewed and asked if he had ever
your own ideals just to be rigid.The dictionary defineshad a clue his life would turn out the way that it had.
integrity as: Adherence to a strict moral or ethicalHis response was something to the effect that had
code.Adherence to strict moral and ethical reasoninghe known all that lay before him -- he might never
is different than sticking by something you justhave been able to get up on any given day. BUT you
believe in solidly or choose for you desires. Moral andsee-- he did get up. And he did what was before him
ethical codes have within them a sense that theseeach and everyday, for the right reasons and to the
ideal transcend individualized agendas and instead arebest of his ability.Again, integrity means doing the
codes which apply to a wider group than justright thing simply because it is the right thing to
yourself.Why do I bring up integrity ? Because all todo.Some quotes I'd like to share with you on integrity
often we get so focused on our own agenda, ourfollow:** The most important persuasion tool you
own goals that we forget to take time to verify ifhave in your entire arsenal is integrity. ~ Zig Ziglar**
we are doing "what is right" along the way.BecomingWe do not act rightly because we have virtue or
wealthy can be quite a noble venture-- especiallyexcellence. But they hesitate, waiting for the other
when the one becoming wealthy plans on using thatfellow to make the first move--and he, in turn, waits
wealth to assist others. But, gaining wealth myfor you. ~ Aristotle** Integrity is not something that
dishonesty, or any other means of compromisinggrownups have and adolescents can aspire to.
ones character, does not justify the end result.AnIntegrity is something that all of us, at all ages, are
example of living on target for integrity's sake is :constantly striving for. ~ Harold KushnerWhat are
Andrew Carnegie. Andrew Carnegie becameyour dreams? How are you going about their
America's richest immigrated citizen after years andachievement? When you come up to the choices and
years of hard work. At age 65 he sold his companythe challenges-- be sure to take the path of integrity.
and devoted his remaining years to giving away hisYou may get there faster by an alternate route;
wealth. He funded the building of over 2,000 librarieshowever, if you take the path of integrity you will
within the English speaking world. And gave awaylike yourself enough to enjoy your dreams once they
somewhere close to $350 million total to thosecome true.
needing various forms of assistance.One reason I like