Internal Integrity

I was talking to myself the other day and I said "Self, why is it that you always keep your word with other people, but you don't always keep your word with me?" At that moment, I realized that it was an integrity issue. There are many ways to look at integrity, but for the sake of this conversation integrity is doing what you said you would do when you said you would do it even if nobody is checking to make sure you did it. In Landmark Education, we learn that integrity has a lot to do with keeping your word.

So here I am, a somewhat successful person in a few different industries, realizing that my full potential has not come into fruition because of what I like to call "Internal Integrity." Many times in life, people will do more for others than they will do for themselves. I'm not sure why it's like that, and I'm not saying that there is anything wrong with it. What I am saying is that we all deserve a level of success and prosperity (in every area of life, not just finances) that can only be attained if we hold ourselves accountable for the things that we say we will do for ourselves.

Let me give you an example:
I've been in the process of writing another book (besides the one I co-authored which is an amazon.com best seller already The Queens Legacy) for about two and a half years now. The outline is done, the concepts are solid, but I just have not finished the book. I've given myself several deadlines, and have missed them all. For those of you that know me, I'm not a heavy drinker. I do enjoy a good glass of wine from time to time. I frequent wine tastings and social gatherings that are centered around wine. So in an effort to somewhat punish myself, I have given up any form of alcohol until I finish writing my current project. Since then, I have been at dinner with friends, social outings, and even mourned the loss of a loved one without participating in any alcohol consumption. Every time I thought about it, I just would tell myself "Keep your internal integrity in tact Mel."

What are the areas in your life where you told yourself you would do something, but you didn't keep your word? Is there some project that you really want to get done, but you are not holding yourself to the standards that you should? How would you rate your own Internal Integrity? Life can be so much better if we just set goals, and REALLY hold ourselves accountable. Think about it like this... A sinking ship does not call out an S.O.S. to another sinking ship. If you really want to be a source of inspiration and a good example for others, do it for yourself first! The world as you know it will change when your Internal Integrity is in tact!

Suggested Readings:
Good to Great by Jim Collins
Developing the Leader Within You by John C. Maxwell
The Power of Focus by Jack Canfield