What Integrity Really Means

“Integrity” involves telling the truth, but this is not the real definition of integrity. The real definition is that, with integrity, you stay true to who you are. Think of an analogy: A bridge has integrity; a building has structural integrity. You don’t ride up the elevator of the building, or drive over a bridge, if you have questions about its integrity. To have integrity presupposes that you know who you are, that you are comfortable with who you are, and you therefore act consistent with who you are. It’s important that who you are is logically and rationally defensible. Otherwise, it’s not going to be possible to have integrity. Yes, integrity is a tall order! It’s more than telling the truth. Telling the truth doesn’t mean you have integrity. You tell the truth because you already have integrity.