I'll Take the HIGH ROAD and Keep My Integrity!

Have you ever been faced with the temptation to "fight fire with fire"?   Have you ever been in a situation...  that no matter how positive you are.. the outlook seems bleak?  More often, both in our personal and professional lives we all encounter something that seems to get the best of us.   We've all been tempted to strike before thinking.  I know, for myself,  I have been there.  I've re-acted without thinking.  Then...  there have been several situations where taking the high road definitely worked out much better.

I've always considered myself a positive person.  I've always tried to look for the good.  I want to find the silver lining in all things.   I've always wanted to surround myself with successful and genuine people, who really love life and look at the bright side of things.    

Maybe... I am one of those people who looks at the world through rose colored glasses.  Maybe... I do believe in fairytales and that dreams can and will come true.  

Yes... there have been things that have gotten me down... and I truly mean, way down and yes... I am talking about personally and professionally.    There have been times when I've felt hopeless, depressed and just plain negative.  In other words, I was HORRIBLE to be around.   I'm human... but, deep down, the reality is.. that's not me.   In these situations,  I wasn't sure, I could bounce back, but somehow, I always found a way to pull myself out of the slump.    I looked beyond the surface to find something positive that helped me put the perspective back in things.  Basically, I chose at that moment to take the high road.  It's not easy to always stay on course,  and most of the time.... finding and taking the high road challenges your very being.    

Yes... it would be easy to take the low road in a lot of situations.  It's quite tempting at times... to just simply strike back and re-act without a care or thought.    It would offer instant satisfaction but long- term harm.   By taking the low road... we create chaos in our lives,  along with regret, negativity and most of all a self induced infliction of stress and worry.   I think more often than not, in our personal lives... we give in to temptation more often than we should.  I know.. that I do.  I work on it every single day when I'm faced with something that upsets me or causes me hurt.  Professionally, I fare much better... 

I think in business... there is no choice.  Taking the high road in business is ALWAYS the best choice.  It's not the easiest choice  to live with on a daily basis .... but sometimes, you have to be the better and bigger person or.....company.   There have been many situations where taking the high road has served me well especially in recent years.    I think for me, I've learned,  that I truly value myself and my reputation.  I  want to be credible, professional and most of all respected.  I don't want to lose my integrity by sinking to the level of others.   There are many who choose the low road in business and sadly, they de-value their company, their brand, other's perception of themselves but most of all, they de-value themselves.  

Every day, we are all faced with choices.  We should all stay truer to the course.  Someone said to me recently,  in the end, worrying and stressing will not change the outcome.  I've thought about this...and yes, it's true, it won't.  I'm one of those who worries about everything so for me... this definitely feels alien.  If somebody close to me is struggling with decisions... I'm struggling right along with them.   If they are faced with difficult decisions... I'm right there with them.   Life does not come without bumps in the road.   Bumps can be in the form of inappropriate behavior of individuals who for whatever reason... don't realize....  that is exactly what they are to us... simply bumps.  It's our choice whether to go over them or around them.   It's our choice whether to flatten them.  For me... my dignity and integrity will always be placed first in these situations.  My credibility and reputation are what matters the most... not allowing a person or situation to get the best of me... especially to the point... where I get on "their" road.

Life is a series of trials, tribulations and triumphs.  We are all faced with maintaining our integrity and credibility, especially the more successful we become in our careers.  Many times... we may be asked to compromise our beliefs and principles.   We will battle the trials and tribulations and we will enjoy the triumphs.   The true triumphs are those where we stand up for our principles and keep our integrity, regardless of those around us.  

"The high road is always respected. Honesty and integrity are always rewarded." Scott Hamilton

According to John C. Maxwell there are three roads that we can take in life:  

1. The low road – where we treat people worse than they treat us
2. The middle road – where we treat people the same as they treat us
3. The high road – where we treat people better than they treat us