GMC News
Word of the Week: Integrity
Georgia Military College Prep School
Word of the Week: Integrity
Week of April 24 – 30, 2016
Definition: adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.
Quotes:
"The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office.” -Dwight D. Eisenhower
“Every person has a different view of another person's image. That's all perception. The character of a man, the integrity, that's who you are.” – Steve Alford
“You can't, in sound morals, condemn a man for taking care of his own integrity. It is his clear duty.” – Joseph Conrad
“A single lie destroys a whole reputation of integrity.” – Baltasar Gracian
“Let me define a leader. He must have vision and passion and not be afraid of any problem. Instead, he should know how to defeat it. Most importantly, he must work with integrity.” – A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
Getting to the point:
Integrity may be the number one virtue we should strive to use every day. Without us sticking to our values and adhering to our principals, life as we know it would be flushed down the toilet. Even if we deal with others who are not people of integrity, we should strive to maintain our beliefs. No amount of money or power or success should push us away from what we believe to true. We shouldn’t sell out to be more like ‘the Jones’ or to get ahead of those around us.
Putting Words into Action:
Live the Golden Rule. Be honest and fair in all that you do. Do not take advantage of those less fortunate. Raise people up, don’t push them down. There are TOO many companies and industries that are taking advantage of their employees and customers for the board of directors and the stockholders. This virtue could be written on for days if we were to discuss the lack of integrity seen in today’s culture. Be a person of integrity and live your life to the best of your ability.
Think About It:
How does it make you feel when you deal with someone who is not a person of integrity? Or on second thought, how does it make you feel when you, a person of integrity, realize you were taken advantage of by someone of little integrity? Be the bigger person, hold on to your virtues and do the right thing. Integrity – use it daily in all that you do.
Reflection
Proverbs 28:6 says, “Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.” Integrity is being honest and having good strong morals. Integrity is something you can control very easily, just by making the right decisions. Students at Georgia Military College Prep School have great integrity. We all attend a school who leads with the honor code “That a cadet will not lie, cheat, steal nor tolerate those who do.” Integrity is often overlooked in today’s society. The more unimportant things are made more aware while the important things are made less aware.
As C.S Lewis said, “Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.” Having strong integrity means helping the homeless man find shelter, without expecting a reward, or praise in return. It is making the right decision no matter what the consequence is. Integrity is always striving to do the right thing. Martin Luther King, Jr. is a person of great integrity. He spent his life devoted to fighting for the rights of African Americans. Every word he spoke was honest, and had great intentions behind them. I feel that integrity is often confused with honesty. Yes, to have good integrity is to be honest in all situations, but integrity is also to be selfless in all things, and hold your expectations to the highest level possible. Great leaders of the United States have had awesome integrity, and they never let anything stop them as they went on about their different goals.
We should always cherish the integrity we have, no matter how little or much we have. It is what makes us the person we are. It defines our personality and character. Never lessen your integrity for anything.
C/SSG Olivia McAfee is a student at Georgia Military College Prep School
