How to Measure and Improve Integrity

Integrity, like most other moral and ethical standards, is defined by the society one lives in. While there are some constant truths to what integrity actually is (or should be) the standard will only rise to accepted norm. What I mean by this is as societal morals and ethics change so will the standards of the characteristics that define our moral viewpoint as a whole. So what is integrity? In the simplest terms it is doing what is morally responsible and upholding ones personal beliefs and values at all times, whether someone is watching or not. Standing up for what one thinks is right or moral regardless of any contributing environmental influences.

As moral standards in our society continue to change, our standard of comparison changes along with them.Take something like an Olympic event. Let's say diving. The sport is defined by the people who participate. The best diver can only be as good as the best diver is, and all others competing are more or less compared to him or her. So imagine years of progressively inferior performances. The standard will lower. Eventually a seeming less than extraordinary physical ability becomes the gold medal standard. This might seem like an oversimplified example but the principle of the nature of social decline is still applicable. When measuring moral or ethical values it is important for us to use an appropriate standard as oppose to what is socially accepted or tolerated. In the midst of overall social decline it is vital to rise above and beyond the actions of others to create a benchmark for our personal idea if what is right and what is wrong.

Integrity is more or less a personal truth. In a world so abundant with different cultures and belief systems it goes without saying that people will not always agree or share the same viewpoints. Having integrity cannot be misconstrued into an issue of right or wrong. Having integrity is defined more by a person possessing high moral principles or professional standards and holding fast to them. Two political figures who have very different political views and agendas can both have integrity.

Improving your integrity, like all personal growth and improvement, is a process. The first step is to determine what your personal moral and ethical values are. For a lot of people these choices are hugely impacted and influenced by religious and cultural beliefs and practices. Be thoughtful in your chosen outlook on issues, keeping in mind that a very key aspect of integrity is being steadfast and unwavering. Educate yourself on issues that you feel you have a very strong opinion on so that you can defend your position and not be so easily influenced by others. The more you learn the more likely you are to discover whether or not you are truly comfortable with your initial impression or idea and you can alter your stance on a topic before making a declaration of where you stand.

In our society to there are a wide variety of highly controversial issues. It is best to avoid affiliation with either side of one of these issues until you are sure about the way you feel about it. Frequently changing your mind on big issues is something that can greatly affect your level of integrity. Politicians are constantly accused of having little or no integrity because they change their viewpoint or "flip-flop" to try to please the public or special interest groups. Being easily swayed is a definite indicator of a person having flexible standards that might not hold up to the challenge of making truly important decisions and sticking to them regardless of opposing popular opinion.

Having integrity is also about truth. Taking part in an animal rights "Meat is Murder" protest and then later being seen eating a hamburger would present a contradiction between your public actions and your private actions. Choose views and take a stand on issues that you can stick with. Having integrity means being true to yourself and what you believe. Of course there are some universal truths that apply to moral character such as not abusing or killing other people or not stealing and so on but other areas are not so black and white. You can be devoutly Christian and support gay marriage. While a large portion of the Christian community might not agree with you, your integrity will not necessarily be compromised.

Improving your integrity is a journey of self exploration. You cannot use the example of others around you because it is a highly personalized process, and as was mentioned earlier the people around us might not be the best examples to go by anyway. As long as you develop a strong moral foundation and maintain your convictions your integrity should never be in question even if your beliefs are.