Nathaniel Branden, one of the world’s foremost leaders in personal development and author of the international best seller, Six Pillars of Self Esteem, once spoke on personal integrity. He stated how there are three levels of integrity that humans may exemplify. The first and most rudimentary is where the individual has very little respect for rules: "Forget the rules, I will do whatever I dang well please. If there is a loaf of bread I will steal it if I want to." The second level of integrity is where one sees all rules as set in stone and follows each and every one of them to the tee: "Rules must be followed, even if my family is starving to death I would never steal." And the third level of integrity is more complex and integrative, where both the larger social rules are met with the inner personal rules and the individual finds their own highest choice on a moment to moment basis: "I will do my best to follow the rules of the land, however if my family is starving and my only source of food is to steal a loaf of bread, as much as I don't want to break the rules of the land, my desire to feed my family outweighs this."
The word "integrity" stems from the Latin adjective integer (whole, complete). In this context, integrity is the inner sense of "wholeness" deriving from qualities such as honesty and consistency of character. As such, one may judge that others "have integrity" to the extent that one judges whether they behave according to the values, beliefs and principles they claim to hold.
A few months ago I made an agreement with myself to set a goal of the quantity of service that I would be able to give by the end of August. I also set with it a reward for myself if I hit this goal, and also set a consequence if I didn't make the goal. During that time I bought a house, moved my personal belongings, and then started renovations for the new Lifehouse space. So many great things were accomplished; however, unfortunately I didn't reach the goal that I had set out. The consequence was that for the month of September I wouldn't have access to my motorcycle. :( This was a very difficult thing to give up, however the value of being in personal integrity far outweighed the joys of riding my bike. On the up side it certainly did give me extra time and energy to focus on the renovations. All things work out in perfect order! AND the forecast is for sun this weekend! Yippie! Both Heather and I are so excited to do some riding.
Riding with Integrity,
Dr. Norm
