The Lifeblood of Growth
"Everyone stumbles over the truth from time to time, but most people pick themselves up and hurry off as though nothing ever happened." - Winston Churchill
The seed for this article was planted during the summer of 1985, while I was on family vacation in Austin, Texas. We were visiting with my parents at their home on beautiful Lake Travis, when a powerful and timely life-changing conversation transpired. My wife, Jeanne, and two children, Amy and Ashley, were out on the lake enjoying all the water activities with my dad. I had stayed back at the house with my mom so that we could share some time alone. Mom was quite ill with a congestive heart disease. She and I were sitting under a majestic oak tree talking about life when she started questioning me about my integrity as a husband. I responded to her, "But, Mom, I'm a good husband." I can still see and feel Mom's eyes as she said, "Son, there are a lot of good people in hell." My mom passed away two months after we had that conversation.
This powerful experience is the story behind one of my favorite quotes: "The truth may sometimes hurt, but it will always help." Mom understood that living the truth was the only way to achieve true significance in life, and her honesty ultimately changed my life. Her courage to speak the truth helped me to understand that integrity and truth are inseparable. Quite simply, integrity is the truth and is the ultimate test by which to measure one's character. Thanks, Mom, for holding me to the highest ideal of life!
On another occasion I was having a discussion with one of my clients, interviewing him concerning the topics he wanted me to cover in an upcoming talk that I was going to give to his sales team. He singled out integrity as one of the areas he wanted me to emphasize in my presentation. This client then went on to tell me about one of his peers, an executive in charge of another manufacturing division. This senior manager and two sales representatives were making a sales call on a long-term client. It was a relationship that had accounted for most of the division's sales volume. After that meeting was over, the executive noticed that one of their competitor's new product samples had been left behind for the client to evaluate. Thinking they were alone in the room, the executive placed the sample in his briefcase, closed it, and took the sample home to evaluate.
It turns out, however, that the executive and his two sales reps had not been alone in the room. One of the client's representatives had walked back into the room unnoticed and saw the executive swipe the sample. As a consequence of this lack of integrity, both sales representatives were fired and the executive was barred for life from calling on this customer (you're probably wondering, like me, as to why the executive wasn't also fired). Millions of dollars in business and a long-term relationship were lost because of one bad error in judgment! This sad but true story is the basis for another of my favorite quotes: "Trust, once lost, is almost impossible to regain."
As these stories illustrate, truth is the lifeblood of growth in both our personal and professional lives. A life fulfilled is wisdom lived, not knowledge learned. Your journey will not be easy, and your choices may not be popular, but your steadfast commitment to the purity of truth will separate you from the mass of mediocrity. Always search for the truth and never compromise, and you will grow to the richly rewarding Season of Significance.
May your life always be green and growing!
The Soul of Winning
Over 4,000 years of wisdom…
The Soul of Winning was conceived when Byrd Baggett embarked on a mission to uncover the true essence of a winning lifestyle. To achieve this goal, he asked one hundred of the world's most successful executives, sales professionals, entrepreneurs, professional athletes, and coaches the question, "What are the keys to a successful and fulfilling life?" The seven character traits identified are what fuels the hearts of winners; insights that will help you achieve personal and professional significance. Over 4,000 years of wisdom is packed into this inspirational gem!
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American Contractors Insurance Group
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