Many people respond to their problems ineffectively. So every day, thousands of bright, skillful, hardworking people tarnish their careers and limit their futures by mishandling ordinary workplace difficulties. In the mid-80s I set out on a grand adventure, traveling across the United States and meeting with many of the country's most successful business leaders, CEOs of some of America's largest and most respected companies. These leaders were rugged thinkers, excellent communicators, and above all, highly believable. It's possible that each of the people I talked with did not abide by these gems all the time, but they showed evidence of living up to them far better than most people do.
Smart people maintain the right course by adhering to high standards at all times.
In life, smart people do exactly the same thing - they discipline themselves at all times to follow what they know to be true. They adhere completely to their moral and ethical principles. There a word for this quality and it's called integrity. A person of integrity lives up to high ideals, not because of raw force or social pressures, but because that person is genuinely committed to those high ideals. This is a person who is incorruptible, and you can tell it.