Simmi has always dreamt of living in Mumbai, India. So after her studies in her small town, she travelled to Mumbai to start life. She had heard so many wonderful stories about the city and couldn't wait to be part of it. But life in Mumbai wasn't as Simmi thought it would be. The country was in recession and most telecommunication company were no longer employing. She searched for a job for months moving from one office to another but found none. It was as if bad luck followed her everywhere she went.
After so many months of searching and had almost given up hope, she finally met a man who promised to help her. The job had a good pay but the man wanted something from Simmi. Late in the evening, he called her to come to his office that it was urgent. She had no option and needed the job desperately, so she went. When she got to the office he was the only one there and he requested her to sit down.
“Here is your acceptance letter, all I need to do is sign it and the job is yours but you have to do something for me”, he said to her.
“Anything Sir, anything and I will do it”. Simmi responded eagerly, not knowing what was going on.
“Nothing goes for Nothing, you have to sleep with me in order to get the job. It's as simple as that”.
With great anger and disappointment, Simmi stood up from the chair, slapped the man and walked out of the office in tears.
Never lose your integrity because of material things, learn to guard it.
Not too long Simmi got a job and got promoted within 6 months and her salary was 5 times the one she rejected.
What would have been of her if she had slept with the man just to get the job? Her integrity and pride would have been lost. Your integrity is who you are and you must guard it at all cost. You need to be Righteous, Honourable, Truthful, Blameless, Graceful, Upright, Disciplined, Faithful and Holy. All these makes up your integrity. Tragedy in life normally comes with betrayal and compromise, and trading on your integrity and not having dignity in life. That's really where failure comes.
Let me share another story with you. Bola was recently employed as a driver in Civil Engineering firm and every week he was to purchase diesel for the company's 150KVA generator. 50 litres of gas would run the generator for 30 hours but ever since Bola started buying gas for the company, the number of hours reduced to 23 hours. This continued to happen for 5 weeks until the manager couldn't take it anymore. Bola was asked if he had been stealing money from the company but he said no. More investigation was carried out and it was discovered that Bola was buying 39 litres of gas instead of 50 litres and was stealing money from the company. This was something that wasn't tolerated in the company and he was arrested. He lost his job and lost his integrity.
To give real service you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity.
Wherever you find yourself, be truthful at all time. The truth doesn't kill, rather it set you free. Be faithful in your works. Let people have good reports about you. Don't be the type that people hate to associate with because of your lies and dishonesty. Let folks be around you because you always tell the truth no matter what.
If you are a business man, do not sell fake products to your clients. Always give your customers quality services and they will always have you in mind. Honesty and integrity are by far the most important assets of an entrepreneur.
As a leader, a lot of people look up to you, do not lead them astray. The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a selection gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office. Don't be like most Nigerian politicians who lie and sell their integrity for wealth. Promising heaven and earth during their manifesto but when they get into office, they turn their back on the masses. They keep telling us that they are fighting corruption whereas they are the corrupt ones.
Bob Marley said, “The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively”.
Let your character speak positive about you.
It is commonly said that if you cannot beat them, then join them. But I tell you today, do not change who you are because you want acceptance from friends.
Always be yourself both in private and public, never ever compromise who you are. A popular Nigerian Writer, Chinua Achebe said, “one of the truest tests of integrity is its blunt refusal to be compromised”.
“Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic key to living your life with integrity” –W. Clemet Stone.
In exam, do not cheat. In business, do not cheat. In relationship, do not cheat. In sport, do not cheat. In life, please do not cheat.
Guard your integrity.