Integrity is how we behave when no one is looking. It is this type of attitude that we must carry with us in all that we do. It is not a sign of integrity when we  lose sense of our values. We have to ask ourselves if we are willing to cut corners or continue to live by our values. There are definitely consequences to our self image when we compromise on our beliefs.

They say that it can take as little as two weeks to make or break a habit. It takes less time than that to destroy a lifetime of integrity. When you live by a belief system, your actions are guided by it on a daily basis. You won’t just go out and hit someone with your car if you value human life. Along the same line, you wouldn’t wake up and quit your job because you didn’t feel like going to work.

These examples might seem far fetched, but you’d be surprised by the number of people who would do these types of things. When our integrity and standards are under fire, we won’t just get up one morning and decide to chuck it all in. There are a series of steps that lead us to leaving our principles behind. It’s necessary to keep ourselves in check to keep that from happening.

Manning our principles is a twenty-four hour job. While our principles are not always coming under fire, when we least expect it, something will happen and it could be a pivotal point on our lives. It’s like seeing the man in front of you drop his wallet as he attempts to put it in his pocket. Do you pick it up and give it back or keep it, thinking he should have been more careful?

The defining moments are the little ones. Each little decision we make can change us in some way or another. A client may ask us to let something slide for the “greater good.” We may wrestle with the decision but decide that we’ll go along to keep the client and our income.

With each compromising decision, a little more of our integrity is chipped away. It becomes easier to give in each time. What we don’t realize is that we no longer look at ourselves in the mirror the same way. We seldom go against the status quo for fear we’ll be labeled as a hypocrite. Our principles are less concrete now and almost completely fluid.

It is easy to lose integrity in our business. There are so many avenues that lead to a business that is guided by selfish ambition and gain. It is our responsibility to keep our guard up and watch for the warning signs that warn us that danger is soon to come.

If you’ve lost your way and no longer feel that your integrity guides your business, then it is time for a clean up. The value of your character and the life of your business depends on it. Regaining your integrity won’t be easy especially around those for whom you compromised. But, with the help of understanding and trustworthy people, your self-image can be restored and you can begin to rebuild the integrity of your business.