One of my favorite podcasts is Ryan Hawk’s The Learning Leader Show. He interviews interesting people and leaders across all backgrounds. In every episode he asks the following question.
What are the commonalities of those individuals that sustain excellence?
Each guest has a unique perspective and insight on this question. In the episode with Bill Perkins, the answer to was to have integrity. This was my second time listening to this episode, the first time I thought “well yeah, that makes sense, it feels right” and I moved on.
This time though what I heard was the importance of being in integrity with yourself. Being in integrity is not a character trait but rather a state of behavior. Are you acting in accordance with what you say you will do or be? It is a question we can ask ourselves as a reflection tool. Am I in integrity right now?
I feel a great responsibility to show up and deliver for other people and to do what I say I will do. Where I have not been as disciplined is keeping commitments to myself. I might say I’m going to get up early and study and do it for a day or two and then stop. Starting and then stopping is what it looks is like to be out of integrity. I am working on keeping my word with myself and have confidence to say I am in integrity.
This is my new focus for the next three months as an experiment. I’m going to ask myself if I am in integrity and commit to myself to keep my word to myself.
Are you in integrity? What does integrity look like for you?
