Learned something I hadn't thought about before.....

I've been reading a book called The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People here at work. Actually, our President and HR are working together for those who are - or want to be - leaders to go through the book together. I jumped at the opportunity to learn something new. I had read the books years ago, but obviously I have forgotten what I read, it has been so long. So I was anxious to get started again, to have discussion and just learn from it. I always retain more when a book is discussed than I do just reading through it.

One thing I learned in the first habit is that we lose integrity to ourselves (and others) when we say we are going to do something - and don't. For example, if you say you are going to start a new diet on Monday morning, or get up early in the morning and start exercising, and then choose not to do either because you just don't want to do it, you lose integrity with yourself because you are not holding yourself accountable to what you said you were going to do. Another example is throwing away a pack of cigarettes and saying "I'm quitting smoking". You quit for a day or two - and then buy another pack. You set yourself up for failure. Regardless of what we think, meaning 'I can't do this'.... we lose integrity to ourselves because we quit on ourselves. Think about that.

As we all know, when we tell someone we will do something and (without a valid reason) then don't follow through, we lose our integrity with that person. We may brush them off and say 'I'm too busy for them today' or 'I know I said I'd pay that bill, but I don't have any money because I need to .... ' we lose integrity with that person, or that company. After a few of these failures to follow through on your word, they no longer believe you, nor trust you.

And we want people to believe us. We want people to trust us. Especially those we love and care about. What about our spouse, our children? We want them to believe us and trust us and respect us. But when we fail to live what our word says, or fail to live as we should, we lose that trust, that respect, that integrity.

I think the part that really got me was the one of losing integrity with myself. How many times have I told myself I will get up and exercise.... or will do this or that.... and I don't get it done, without a valid reason... I'm guilty. As I'm sure you are.

Let's make a deal with each other. You and me. Let's start today by doing what we say we will do. By living as we say we should live. By saying what we mean, and meaning what we say. You in?
Let's do it!

Blessings!