When Doing the Right Thing is Hard

Why it's worth the effort

We all face the temptation to take the easy way out or cut corners from time to time. Sometimes, doing things the right way takes a lot more time and effort—and sometimes even personal sacrifice—than simply taking the path of least resistance.

But people don’t want to follow someone who doesn’t have the integrity to do the right thing, even when it’s not the easy thing.

Follow through on your commitments. If people are counting on you to get it done right and on-schedule, don’t let it slide.

Keep your word. If you say you’ll take care of something, take care of it.

Don’t over-commit. The ability to honor your commitments is a lot more manageable when we under-promise and over-deliver. If you agree to take on more and more, your ability to do what’s already on your plate to your high standards and on-time gets harder and harder. I recommend adopting a “pessimist’s promise” mentality. Assume that any task will take twice as long and be twice as difficult. If you get it done early, everyone’s happy. If there actually ARE unforeseen challenges (and you know there will be in life), you’ve built in a buffer to work through them, and can still keep your promises.

(Photo by Tegan Mierle on Unsplash)