Without integrity, nothing else matters

BY REX SIKES

If you’d like to make significant changes and achieve more progress in your personal and business life, there’s one important habit that you need to acquire: take full responsibility for all your actions. Apply this principle, and you can become more successful.

When you accept responsibility and are accountable, others will understand you to be a person of honesty and integrity. Why? Because you are one, and your actions match your talk. You keep your word. The buck stops with you. You don’t blame or make excuses. You’re accountable. You’re reliable. They know they can trust you.

You demonstrate integrity. If you don’t have integrity, nothing else matters. At times it’s difficult to do the right thing and take responsibility for what happens. Even for those things that appear outside your control. But it’s the right thing to do!

A good leader takes responsibility for the actions of the staff, is accountable for what the staff does, and does not shift the blame. Choose the higher road. Be responsible for all. Integrity means doing the right thing when no one is watching.

There are harmful people, events, and circumstances. Some are willing to cheat, say or do anything to crush others or the competition. Some don’t care about the harm it causes. Don’t be one of them.

Make sure you never intentionally harm or deceive another person. When we behave negatively, we perpetuate the negative. Stop holding grudges or speaking to harm. End gossip. Speak only to bless, heal, prosper, inspire, educate, and transform. Seek to uplift!

Weed your mental garden. Plant positive seeds. Be a role model. Walk your talk. Live an exemplary life. Clean up your words and actions. Be optimistic. Think kindly about others. Operate with compassion and generosity.

Add value and be willing to go the extra mile for others in your service to them. They’ll appreciate it. Don’t you?

When you create more positivity, vibe high, and feel good, so will others. There may be a holdout or two, but mostly you will find yourself surrounded by it? Whatever change you want to make, be smart, wise, gentle, kind, loving, and committed. Persist. See it through. Learn that YOU got this! Trust that you can do this. You absolutely can. Believe in yourself. Affirm the best in you and from you. Drop the negative self-talk. Support yourself in making your changes. Make everything as delightful as possible, and take time to enjoy it all. Keep the faith. Believe in you!

If you stop, don’t be foolish and let it defeat you. Simply start again. Build on the positive momentum you create, and it gets easier. Some people start and stop many times. That’s okay. You wake up each day after sleeping and begin again. When you fall, you get up. Get it? Decide to do it and do it. Keep your word. Keep the commitments you make to yourself.

After all, a promise is a promise. Make today and each day count. Remember, the journey is just as important, if not more