When fear of survival becomes a primary driving force in any business, it will react to protect itself, just like any other organism. Often, this pressure is very subtle, acting below the conscious level, and many people learn to adapt to small compromises by rationalizing them away or simply putting up with them. The problem is that these compromises accumulate over time, gradually pushing us further and further away from our integrity. In order to reverse this process, we must first bring it to the conscious level, find antidotes for the pressures, and take steps to reclaim self-respect and internal power. Sadly, our pop-culture society tends not to support this process, since it is interested mainly in external appearances, and does not place much value on introspection.
Integrity is primarily a concern of the heart and spirit.
The mind is more easily distracted by surface appearances. The challenge, then, is to reclaim creative power without taking excessive risk, either individually or in business. This requires that we learn how to maintain personal balance and equanimity while still being passionately engaged in our work. The intent of this article is to highlight some of the ways in which integrity is often put to the test, and to offer some tools for thought that can take these often threatening situations and turn them into powerful opportunities for personal growth and transformation. To me, integrity is not simply a matter of acting honorably.