Doesn’t have to be good, just has to be yours

Integrity is defined as the degree to which your actions mirror your beliefs.

Question is, what happens when you don’t know what you believe? Can you have integrity then?

It’s tricky. Kind of a cart before the horse thing.

Because when we’re young, the idea of integrity sounds so romantic and noble. It seems like the kind of person we should aspire be. Someone with integrity is sovereign in living by their own most conscientious judgment.

However, in order to be true to the self, a person must first actually have a self. One that they’re proud of because they’ve worked hard to develop it. And that’s something that takes a while to figure out.

But while it can’t be forced, it can be compressed. We can accelerate our true self learning curve by throwing ourselves into the storm of action, out of which will come deeper wisdom about our cherished beliefs.

As a young man, it never occurred to me that my core values of creativity, commitment, generosity, joy and connection underscored everything in my life. It was only into my twenties as an entrepreneur when it started to become clear to me what my true self looked like.

Turns out, the project of starting a business is a powerful compressor. With every decision you make about marking, sales, products, customers, accounting, service, even buying office supplies, you chip away a little bit more at the truth of your being. Each day becomes a mini lesson in expressing your human values.

Sometimes it’s a product of the cold, unforgiving world of economics, sometimes it’s the sheer joy of creating value and getting compensation in return.

This is It’s one of the reasons everyone should start a business at least once in their lives. Whether it’s a neighborhood grass cutting service or a curbside lemonade stand for a summer, you can’t help by clarify your values during the process.

Makes me think fondly about my very first book signing. Less than a year out of college, I was a published author. And every single person I knew came to my house on new year’s day. My dad popped a bottle of the kind of champagne you only see in rap videos. I gave a short speech, sold copies to everyone, and at the end of the event, had a thousand bucks. What a day.

But what was most important about that day is, it clarified for me what was most important in my life. The book itself wasn’t the thing. That was just the talisman.

Rather, it was the creativity behind the idea of wearing a nametag everyday, the discipline required to write a book about it, and the connection with all these people who supported me along the way. Those were all expressions of my cherished values.

I finally had the chance to be true to myself because I had done the work of developing that self in the first place.

What’s your personal picture of integrity?

If you can’t answer that question yet, consider going out there and starting something. Doesn’t have to be big, doesn’t have to be good, just has to be yours.

Notice what your choices say about what you value.

And soon enough, you’ll cast a vision about what it means to be true to yourself.

What compressor might help you become sovereign in living by your own most conscientious judgment?