Integrity

I’ve been reading a book by John Maxwell, “Becoming a Person of Influence,” and although I’ve actually made it through most of the chapters by now, the one that is standing out the most still to me is the first on integrity. I’m wondering what connections there are between integrity and performance… be it athletic performance, musical performance, business performance or mothering performance. I think the implications of integrity are HUGE. If integrity has to do with doing what you said you’d do, or being who you say you are, then it connects to performance on nearly every point.

One of the ways the authors of the book suggest for exercising your integrity muscle is to early in each day, do at least two things you don’t want to do before you do things you DO want to do. They frame such activity as practicing doing things that are hard. What a great idea.

We are on vacation this week, and I think I may work on this concept a bit within myself. It’s been awhile since I’ve really had to be super-disciplined about something. Perhaps my own dismay when I closely, honestly examine my personal integrity has to do with laziness the realm of doing what is hard. So, I think I’ll work on turing dismay into encouragement this week. I’ll let you know how it goes.