NO B.S. FRIDAY: Out of Integrity, I Have to Say This…

February 13, 2015 by Jon Giaan

I was speaking to my mechanic the other day and he said…

“It’s got no integrity.”

We had my car up over the pits. I’d been on a few coastal holidays (and a bit of beach bashing!), and he was talking about the importance of rinsing the salt water out from under your car.“It’s got no integrity.”

We had my car up over the pits. I’d been on a few coastal holidays (and a bit of beach bashing!), and he was talking about the importance of rinsing the salt water out from under your car.

“If the salt stays there too long, then it starts to rust. And once the rust takes hold, she’s a goner. The whole chassis’ got no integrity.”

‘What a disaster,’ I thought. Imagine if your chassis had no integrity.

Your chassis would be lying to you. It’d be telling you one thing and doing another. It would tell you it’d be coming home straight from work, and then staying out to all hours of the morning.

And then there was that time that it stole a packet of biscuits from your Aunty’s place.

And then it disappears for weeks on end and the only time you ever hear from it is when it needs to borrow money.

“Sounds like a disaster,” I said.

It got me thinking about where the term ‘integrity’ came from. When you’re talking about a car chassis, structural integrity means a completeness or a wholeness, and the dependability that comes with that.

Is that what we mean when we talk about ‘personal integrity’?

We normally take it to mean honesty, respect – a commitment to your values. But I think when you pull it apart it also means a dependability that comes from being whole.

What I take it to mean is that your outer-world and your inner worlds are integrated together. There’s no duplicity.

What you think is no different from what you say. Your internal values are in alignment with your outer actions.

The way you want to be in the world, is no different from how you actually are in the world.

The outer and inner worlds are integrated together. You make up a seamless whole.

And from that, honesty, respect and reliability naturally emerge.

This is why integrity is such a difficult thing to achieve – and why it is such a rare and valued quality in the world.

Keeping your inner and outer worlds in alignment takes strength and discipline.

I was out the other day watching a little boy try and convince his mother to buy him an icecream.

He had an argument for everything. It will rot your teeth? – it’s okay because he brushes his teeth extra well. There’s too much sugar? – it’s ok because he ran extra fast in P.E today. It’s too expensive? – they’re not actually that expensive, and besides I just saw you get a $20 note in change from Woolworths.

It was quite amazing to watch. His mind had locked on to what he wanted. From that point on, all of his thought structures pivoted around that goal. His whole world view shifted to whatever was needed to get an icecream.

And it seemed that he really believed it. He wasn’t just telling stories. In his mind, he was right. Icecreams were cheap and good for you.

(I wonder what would have happened if his mother had said, “you can’t have icecream because gravity.” It would have been fun to watch the mental gymnastics that would have come from that!)

This is obviously an extreme example, but I think a degree of self-deception is part of the human condition.

Maybe it’s a necessary survival tool.

“I want to get that fruit, but that sleeping lion looks dangerous.”
“The Lion’s dead. Don’t worry about it.”

And maybe it’s another tool that was never meant to be applied in the complex modern world and to moral issues of right and wrong.

“I’m trying to lose weight. Maybe I shouldn’t have sweets…”
“Tim-tams aren’t that fattening. Don’t worry about it.”

“I’ve had a few drinks, maybe I shouldn’t drive…”
“Nah, I’m a better driver when I’m drunk.”

“Maybe taking $50 out of this old woman’s purse is wrong.”
“Nah, I’m sure if I asked she’d give it to me. Besides, she doesn’t need all those meds when I don’t even have Nickleback’s new album.”

We can be masters of self-deception.

And so the key to integrity I reckon is honesty. Not just with others, but with ourselves. That if we say we value something – like doing the right thing – we can catch ourselves from taking an easy way out if the opportunity presents itself.

Even if it’s hard, or if it means we might not get what we want, we stay true to our values. And when we try and deceive ourselves, we get that tricksy mind back on a short leash.

And we follow through. When we make a plan – like getting our finances in order, or getting x number of properties this year, or just committing to spending 3 hours a week researching property – we do it.

I know far too many “wanna-be” investors who talk a good game but have no integrity, no follow-through. They tell me they’re going to be a property millionaire in a couple of years and then when I reconnect, they tell me they’re trading futures on the stock market.

WTF?

No matter what happens or how hard it gets, we honour the promise we have made to ourselves.

There’s a lot of power in this. Sure integrity makes you a more likeable person. If you’re a man of your word, you’ll get a lot of respect for that. If you’re a woman who always comes good on her promises, you’ll have a lot of friends.

People admire people who are strong in their values.

But this isn’t the real booty hidden in the treasure-chest of integrity.

Once we develop the strength to hold ourselves in our integrity, we move very easily in the world – like a stone falling through water.

We know what the right thing to do is, and we just do it. We act with clarity and confidence. And we don’t get pulled from our path and what we want to achieve by a tricksy mind looking for easy way outs.

At its heart is a choice about the person we are in the world.

Integrity – the rock that comes with wholeness – is a commitment to this choice. And no matter what you want to do in the world, this choice comes before all things.

You know what kills integrity?

Excuses.

The world is awash with these buggers.

It seems today that it’s OK to ruin your integrity with an excuse… And most of them are probably made up, not true. Just saving face.

Personally, I hate excuses. If you’re making lots of them, you’ve got no integrity.

Wouldn’t it be easier just to do what you said you were going to do?

Sure, things come up. I don’t want to be a complete asshole about this, but when you can’t stick to your integrity and there’s a good reason… it is just that. A reason, not an excuse.

…most people don’t know the difference between the two.

So, catch yourself making excuses and then ask yourself, “Am I out of integrity?”

If so… Stop. Think.

This will go a long way to helping you live a happier and fulfilled life with or without money… Preferably with.

What about you? Are you finding yourself going in and out of integrity, not thinking it’s a big deal at all?

Do you even share my weird perspective on integrity? Or do you have a different slant on it?

Paul

Once again very accurate, excuses only cheat yourself.
People (myself included) need to man up and follow things through.
- John Keen
  
  Here’s an idea that I like (I can’t take credit for it) and that I suggest is key to integrity. Jon has written that to have integrity we need to be able to recognise when we’re kidding ourselves and making excuses for acting or not acting in a certain way, that the reasons we’re giving ourselves are not true. What if all of the thoughts, opinions, learnings and facts that we hold tight to as fundamental parts of who we are are not necessarily any more real or true? Sure, we can see that some of them work and we can use them to get on with our lives. But if we choose to be open minded to the idea that none of them are necessarily true, we are left free to choose to act fully on the ideas that really inspire us, or let them go without fear or judgement. Holding tight to ideas that we believe in with unshakeable faith could be seen as self-delusion and a barrier to integrity just as much as any other excuse.
Helen

Hi Jon, how timely! I’m in the boring slog of doing tax so I can get an IP on board! I told my accountant I’d do it – so I am. You just have to keep plugging away & come good on your word. great article, Happy Friday!
Dale

There comes a time when you get an idea that property is for you ‘ cause you can start with
no money down…using other people’s money ….blah blah blah until comes a time when
money has to be borrowed and then if you are not working it is…..sorry we can’t help. All
your plans or maybe dreams…plans without action….are halted..hence your integrity just
went out the door.
- Tim
  
  Dale your excuse is that the bank said no. As Jon says you have to take responsibility yourself. When making a plan you need to research to ensure it is achievable. Borrowing money with no means of paying it back is in itself not acheivable.
  - Dale
    
    Your right, thanks Tim
  - JUST SAYING
    
    Yeah Tim borrowing money without the means of ever being able to fully repay the debt off is a deplorable and stupid situation… kind of like the government letting a private company print your money for you (when you have the ability to do it yourself)at interest, where we have to borrow more money at interest to pay of the interest… WTF?
    Some are smart enough to call a system such as this a “Ponzy Scheme” you know the sort of scheme that stupid people fall for and criminals cleverly use to their advantage.
    Hey wait a second isn’t that what’s happening here?
    Oh yeah …Phew! Had me going for a second. We call it the Federal reserve, and Big 4… aka banking system.
  - JUST SAYING
    
    Ahh yes fical responsibility… I,like the grubberments idea on managing things such as debt responsibly… their response to debt ceilings…. Why don’t we just get rid off it (problem solved) and give ourselves a nice big pay rise! Drinks all round boys… for a job well done! Hey wait a second says ” I”, in the middle of the GFC the GDP was around 8% … now its approx 24% WTF? How is that making things better? I think that the next gov’t spill over they should all take themselves down to the local cop shop and hand themselves in collectively…. Ah yes but that would require integrity, not just a willingness to keep your ass on a seat for money!
    - JUST SAYING
      
      That should read debt to GDP vis a vis debt was *% of GDP…
      Bartender… nuther drinky please!
- JUST SAYING
  
  Amongst the first lies and self deception is that money in Australia is actually money (its credit). It isn’t and hasn’t been since 1973. Fractional reserve banking (debt based banking ) took care of all of that. It is closest to a promissory note issued in the name of a private company at cost plus interest and printed by an elite international syndicated banking cartel (we never get to see or hear about) that the Australian Government first and foremost owes its allegiance to, and benefit for.The second lie is that the Australian Government is de-jure. It depends on the ignorance and stupidity of the Australian people at large to facilitate the management of the commonwealths assets and wealth and to that end has largely enabled them to ruthlessly line their own pockets whilst wholeselling the infrastructure and resources off to forreign multinationals at the direct expense of the people of the commonwealth.
  - Ralph Vorstenbosch
    
    I agree the money trail is a joke. Another interesting watch is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFDe5kUUyT0
    I never believe these videos wholeheartedly as they all have some errors but they give insight to make people think for themselves and gives insight into what is happening with manipulation of people for the Greed of others.
    - JUST SAYING
      
      Yet we persist in calling it money…funny how during the eighties the rage was to call it the “petro-dollar”.. They have since gone to great lengths to wipe out any and all reference to the term. Yet companies like Woolworth’s seem to run on it these days… Hmmmm what’s with that????
    - JUST SAYING
      
      Thanks for the flic Ralph… I can’t wait for the day the rest of us put the final pieces together and realise that when a foreign power prints your money for you, sets the interest rate, and determines how much you can have… then you will have lost any real control of the government by the people. In fact the government will just be a caretaker for foreign interests. Then you would think the people would realise that the gov’t no longer works for them and is controlled by unseen and unknown interests who are more interested in maintaining the status quo, while they bleed the host dry. And in Australia’s case, it’s nice fat pickings just in the nations mineral and oil gas sense, without considering how gullible we have been and remain. For example how many corporations in Australia have received no incentives or stimulus packages and have had to close shop while foreign multinationals have been given immense tax breaks, subsidised infrastructure to develop projects of which Australians just get to except that the main economic benefit is to be used as a workforce to dig the wealth of the nation out so it can be shipped out.
      
      Yet we hear the grubberment calling this economic situation as progress. What a joke needless to say how short sighted.
Ralph Vorstenbosch

Most of this is very true except I don’t fully agree with excuses solely killing integrity. The issue I believe is greed. Look at the integrity of products – washing machines and fridges for example today last no more than 10 years so companies can turn a profit, yet in the past these items lasted 20-50 years. People know this and work for companies doing many wrong things such as polluting waterways and our air so the company makes money and they make an income. It is not wrong of the people to want to earn a wage in a declining employment environment to survive, as we all need money, but if we were not all so desperate to survive on our greed based society we could start turning away from these greedy corporations and do the right thing by our integrity and changing their values. My belief is that we stop “liking” things on FB and similar and start rating the integrity of products, companies, people and governments. As we rate integrity and achieve higher or lower integrity this then affects how much things cost on a fluctuating scale. Higher integrity means things become cheaper and lower integrity means things cost more. Then rather than being greedy on money we become greedy on “integrity”. Imagine a world where we all want a higher integrity to survive rather than more money! The other beauty in this process would be that to maintain your high integrity you must use it to better other people or your integrity would decrease thus making the world a better place ridding starvation, pollution etc bringing the world into balance. The balance would be almost God like – peace on Earth as it is in Heaven. We are in an age today of computers being able to calculate our Earths integrity and compare it to the integrity of people. We then can calculate how many resources to use, how to better use renewable sources and so on in balance with the requirements of people to live together. Big business today will destroy this planet as a select few make a lot of money, whilst the remainder of society get blind sided by false representation, mass marketing and the belief that we are better today than many years ago. Are we better off? Do you see your children or grandchildren having a better lifestyle in generations to come?
- Tom
  
  Pos op jonger! Rupert and his controlling mates don’t like hearing such blasphemous words.
  Don’t rock their apfel cart! Only the cross benchers are allowed to talk sense. The rest of us have to grin and bare it – ready for the punishment for our sins of expectation.
  Back when we had wringer washing machines, there was a guy in Melbourne who used to gather up all the discarded washers of one particular brand. Their inbuilt planned obsolescence was a soft ‘bush’ in a major bearing. He simply replaced this with a quality ‘bush’ and guaranteed a five-year warranty on his second-hand machines, while the manufacturers offered only twelve months. (I may have the figures slightly wrong, but he made a killing, from what I heard.)
  Incidentally, we should all buy Rolls Royces. They are designed to last forever – no inbuilt planned obsolescence there. Even their tyres last longer. The rubber is compressed before being annealed to the frame. As a kid, did you ever cut your pencil eraser? Just a little nick would be devastating when applied to the outer, stretched side of the bent rubber. But try to nick the inner, compressed corner. No way! The compressed rubber can’t be cut. RR use that principle to reduce wear on their tyres.
- JUST SAYING
  
  I enjoyed your post and agree.. Integrity is a key issue!
  What we need is a revolution in this country. However for that to happen we would need to ask some very hard questions we are never allowed to frame or ask in the popular press or media. We would also need to drag our government back inside the constitution and restore the rights of Australians that have been stolen away by stealth and out right fraud.
  We would need to understand the real role of the United Nations in Australia and the real objectives of those organisations fostered by the UN and supported by groups and individuals in Australia. Only then could we stand a chance of having a real government of, for and by the people of this great nation. Only then could we stand a chance of having real debt free money again,and responsible gov’t that manages things for us instead of peak interest groups that hide behind closed doors, dodgy campaign donations (bribes) and elaborate privacy clauses. Until then we will be managed like sheep for the highest bidder…
  - Ralph Vorstenbosch
    
    If you have time you need to watch JFK to 911 on youtube – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1Qt6a-vaNM. The problem we have today is what is the truth??? Is this video on track or is it a conspiracy film? Well worth the watch and very plausible on how we are being manipulated.
- Kathy
  
  If you can tell me which brand of electrical appliance will last 10 years, could you please let me know. I was told by the Electrodud repair person (who spent all of five minutes at my place, half of the time to run a simple diagnostic that I could have done over the phone, and the other half to run the credit card payment through) ” that I was “lucky” that my expensive front loader had lasted 6 years.
  I most definitely did not give them a “like” on Facepalm, instead left a very scathing message (after reading all the other similar scathing remarks from other people with similar complaints) on their comments Fakebook page and on an appliance reliability website.
- Ralph Vorstenbosch
  
  The other thing I did not state in my previous post is that we all have different definitions of integrity. So in regards to integrity and rating people and items etc is that we can all rate what we believe is important individually which will then build a synopsis of each others importance of “integrity” to fully bring a balanced opinion of things, items etc. This way no one person tells us what is meant to be or not but we decide as a conglomerate. Power to the people!
  - al
    
    You need to be a part time politician – but sadly you would not last very long as a synopsis of integrity would need/require you to omit the very essence of integrity ? (unbelievable) … ???
    - Ralph Vorstenbosch
      
      My friends also want me to run for politics but sadly you are correct. To run for politics you have to be willing to work with a corrupt bribery system. Give up some beliefs so you can get others enacted. Or if you follow a party like Peter Garrett did – give up all your beliefs to follow the party line…..
- al
  
  Ralph – overall your views are valid but this one is nonsense > “Higher integrity means things become cheaper and lower integrity means things cost more.” … you don’t even get that previously long lasting ‘goods’ washing machines etc are the majority of reasons why other cheap manufacturers came along and made ‘cheaper washing machines’ in the first place – thats how it all falls down mate – and its about cheap labour from overseas added nothing to the cost of production in those countries but BIG profits to the ” maker -seller” and cost jobs in this country etc etc — it was and is the inequity of money bases that gives a manufacture of anything two choices – be like Rolls Royce and charge whatever or use cheap labor from O/S and make a killing overseas anywhere they like as for more profit !!!
  
  Our overall problems of having integrity are so weak as we rarely take responsibility for a moment of ‘giving time for nothing’ returned in expectation. When was the last time you did a days work for nothing ? for someone that needed something done but could not afford it and you said …”o.k. I can help you with that” and fully did it ? Contrary is what most of human nature is on a moment to moment basis – PROFIT is the game and is not integrity. As you say big business is killing the planet but are you going ask everyone go on strike? over integrity … lol … Idealism is not like money – you can have as much as you like – but you cant eat it or buy anything with it … you are hundreds of years behind another known as a “Cree Prophecy” … Only after the last tree has been cut down, only after the last river has been poisoned, only after the last fish has been caught, only then will you find money cannot be eaten.” … We are still living in the long growing shadow of that prophecy … nothing will change until everyone is paid the same and or all people give up owing anymore than they really DO need – we live in long grey genetic shadow of many before us of desperately awful lives that are still occurring in many places on our Earth and big corporations are the first to exploit those people or worse … MONEY is a religion of its own false foundations and has enslaved more of humanity in poverty than any other ‘intellectual religion’ that has ever existed – it is more insidious with more loop holes that allow a pseudo “Alice in wonderland” reality to exist in peoples collective heads … “a higher integrity more than money” will not pay your house of mate … tell the bank manager about your idea … he will laugh all the way home (as he will also make sure you get a mention to his peers) keep going – but you cannot do anything to stop the Bank of America … nor the “rest of them” – go have a beer and dream on) …do a day’s work for free every week of the year, but don’t expect anything.
Rusty

Who in their right mind would steal $50 to buy a Nickelback album.
- Tom
  
  Who is Nickelback? An ancient, out-of-date dinosaur with coins for scales?
Jonny Gardner

Jon, Love your work mate – “Out of Integrity?” …..your best post yet!
Helena

Yep, I share your perspective. Integrity is a core value for me. I try to be one whole person, who does what they say they will (unless that turns out to be stupid or bad, at which point, promptly admit it and move on), in every time and every place. It’s hard work. You can’t do it without honesty, and sometimes it’s hard to even figure out what the truth is because we are, as you say, masters of self-deception. But it’s worth it.
Peter

I personally think most people today have little or no integrity. Sad but true.
Just one example. The divorce rates are crazy yet virtually all agreed to stick together through good and bad. They vere saying my yes means yes.
Being so so self centered today most folks look after number one and thats about it.
Where is the strength of character in leaving when things get hard. Folks who lack integrity are weak in my opinion. I’m sure others of you have different opinions though 🙂
- JUST SAYING
  
  Yep Peter there was a time when people used to hang around and get long service leave an gold watches too, however all that changed when the NWO ushered in a new age of supposed prosperity and economic rational that required everything to be “deregulated” and “privatised”. The mantra used was open markets etc etc etc. I don’t know many people who really believe that BS now however…
  It’s now dog eat dog, losers finish last, and first in best dressed!
  Companies now have enterprise bargaining, which is a nice way of saying you’ll get next to nothing and good luck still being employed into your seventies so you can collect your pension. Provided the markets haven’t collapsed and the governments have helped themselves to the first $100k in your bank savings and superannuation. Now that should account for approx 75% of all bank accounts and super in the country. Which, if this scenario were to occur; they have deftly passed legislation for in anticipation; would make the GFC just a practice run for what may come!
  So Peter some people may just be asking themselves, why stick around?
  - Ralph Vorstenbosch
    
    Government pushed for Super and all the politicians bought heaps of shares in companies before it came to fruition making them even wealthier. Most would call this insider trading….
Peter

Whats wrong with doing property and trading Futures ?? you can do both. Just pick a market in each that you can focus on and make sure you have risk under control
- Paul Camilleri
  
  Paul
  I like a person who has integrity; I would like to meet one, one day !
ek

Wow. I am really impressed with most of the commenters whose indepth knowledge is visible and they are “awake and aware”. I am particularly thankful and grateful to RALPH VORSTENBOSH and JUST SAYING.
I wonder how many leaders and people in the high positions do have INTEGRITY?
- Ralph Vorstenbosch
  
  Not many, if any. Most are there for self interest and a nice healthy pay check for life. They are puppets to big business.
- JUST SAYING
  
  Hi ek, unfortunately not enough of us are awake yet….
  I fear it will take another tragedy such as the GFC take 2 to wake some people up. Unfortunately, just as the first GFC was driven by the elite for the biggest wealth transfer in history, during the next one they will of course be waiting in the wings to jump to our rescue with something totally incomprehensible until its too late, and most people will not realise that it was the same group who caused the problem in the firs place.
  If Australians want the Gov’t back it may well take a revolution to get it as I dont see these bloodsuckers we call politicians doing anything to help us.
John

Hi Jon,

Integrity, honesty, true to your word, unwavering regardless of circumstances…= respect.
Keeping a promise just because you made it?
Turning up to an event or a place cos you said so?
Stand up and be counted …even at a personal cost to you?
Why?
Ralph, integrity is all of this thinks regardless.
It does not change cos someone lets us down (like Electrolux washing machines).
Integrity is not based on my mood today, it’s a way of life. You either have it or you don’t.
I sell appliances for Harvey Norman, (don’t judge me) . I sell what you’re willing to pay for.
I sell Miele washers made in Germany and I sell Electrolux for half the price made in Thayland.
I find that price comes before quality often. I present both for your evaluation.
Sorry Kathy, nothing personal.
Yes we live in a changed world where the only value seams to be
$$$ and then often , our own perceived value for money, to justify our ability or inability to make decisions. Instead of being angry and take it on someone else, please take a moment and reevaluate the way you make decisions.
- Ralph Vorstenbosch
  
  I agree we pay for what we get but if we started rating what the items are in terms of price against longevity, pollution to make, pollution when discarding etc we will get a better picture on what is best for society and rid the waste to turn a dollar for big business. Who actually sets the price anyway. Why can I buy goods overseas cheaper than I can here? Why can I get items posted out of China to Australia cheaper than I can post within Australia when they use our postal service to deliver it? Something twice the price may last 4 times as long but we do not have any of this information. It is about time we start rating it all for a future for all rather than to make big business more money and yes big business can still make money this way. I am not angry, I think outside of the box and put opinions out there for others to ponder. I am sorry if you are a puppet to big business and cannot think beyond making a paycheck. I think of society as a whole rather than self interest and a future where we can all have a say in where we go and what we do rather than being dictated to. John, your lack of education and knowledge shows in your statement and the use of the English language.
  I am not angry as I have spent good money on a patent to develop a trading process to start rating this however did not have the 150K funds to follow through with it when I was made redundant from our dying steel industry. Angry, No. Self interest, No. Interest in humanity, Yes.
Nathan

“The truth will set you free” Jesus. Thanks Jon. Great writing.
H.K

Hi Nathan

I’m a Catholic but I do not totally agree with the quote “The truth will set you free”. The truth does not set you free it gives you clarity
Neo

WTF????????? Futures trading , Its a hard game but with the right mentality, right people, you can do really well out of this. If you have patience and discipline. But I’m a daytrader, bring on abusive comments. Doesn’t mean I have to trade if anything doesn’t line up. If anything, will condition you to better property deals
Tash

Thank you Jon. Couldn’t agree more, I feel blessed every day that I ended up with the trait of NOT being able to lie to myself. I have to say, it hasn’t always been easy, but if anyone wants to know, I’m grateful everyday that I can be honest with myself. I know an awful lot of people who can’t be and I feel for them sometimes.. The truth will set you free!

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NO B.S. FRIDAY: Out of Integrity, I Have to Say This…