Integrity

Your choices reflect your values even when the choice is difficult. You are honest, keep your promises, and present yourself genuinely.

What is Integrity?

Integrity is doing the right thing when nobody is watching. People with integrity practice what they preach and maintain a consistent pattern of behavior aligned with their values. They have the courage not to follow the crowd if it means going against their beliefs. Integrity is closely aligned with the terms of honesty and authenticity. People with integrity tell the truth and have alignment in their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

A person who lacks integrity could be described as pretentious, hypocritical, or insincere. They are pretending to be something that they’re not or they’re saying one thing and then doing another. It is important to be able to change your mind (and be open-minded), as you learn and grow. However, the main distinction comes in the intention. Is the person intending to manipulate another? A second important facet is self-awareness. It’s tough to be true to yourself if you don’t know who you are.

Virtue: Courage. Strengths of courage involve applying will and fortitude in overcoming internal or external resistance to accomplish goals. Strengths comprised in this virtue are bravery, perseverance, integrity, and enthusiasm.

Individuals with this strength might be described as honest, authentic, genuine, trustworthy, sincere, or real.


The content on this page is written for adults — and the character card linked below is our Grades 9–12 version. Our curriculum is differentiated by grade level, from Pre-K–12. Request free lessons to get a closer look at how P2 teaches character strengths across grade levels.

Individuals with this strength are likely to think, feel, or behave in the following ways:

Integrity

It is important to tell the truth.

Integrity
I practice what I preach.
Integrity
I care more about being true to myself than being popular.
Integrity
Eventually, inauthenticity and duplicity come back to haunt people.
Integrity
I hate hypocrisy; when people say one thing and do another.

Why does integrity matter?

Integrity is vital to individual growth. It is correlated with a multitude of psychological well-being measures. Harmony in your feelings, thoughts, and actions makes you better able to personally grow and achieve goals. Authenticity, and a lack of pretense, also makes you more likable and trusted by others, meaning your relationships will benefit.

On a group level, integrity is a cornerstone of high-functioning and sustainable teams, organizations, and societies. If you’re constantly wondering about your coworkers’ intentions, you will have a hard time working with them. This is why we look for politicians and leaders with integrity. We need to believe that they’ll keep their word — or at the very least, readily admit it when they must break a promise. If they don’t, trust and performance fail.

Quotes on Integrity

“You’re looking for three things, generally, in a person: intelligence, energy, and integrity. And if they don’t have the last one, don’t even bother with the first two.”

- Warren Buffet

“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.”

- Bob Marley

“To believe in something and not live it, is dishonest.”

- Mahatma Gandhi 

“Whoever is careless about the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters.”

- Albert Einstein 

Explore more character strengths

You notice and value the world’s beauty and people’s skills. You don’t take things for granted.

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Appreciation of Beauty & Excellence

You notice and value the world’s beauty and people’s skills. You don’t take things for granted.

You act with mental, moral, or physical strength even when you know things are difficult or scary.

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Bravery

You act with mental, moral, or physical strength even when you know things are difficult or scary.

You come up with new and original ways to think about and do things.

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Creativity

You come up with new and original ways to think about and do things.

You like exploration and discovery. You ask lots of questions because you want to learn more about anything and everything.

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Curiosity

You like exploration and discovery. You ask lots of questions because you want to learn more about anything and everything.

You approach life with excitement and energy. You energize people around you.

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Enthusiasm

You approach life with excitement and energy. You energize people around you.

You believe that all people have value. You approach situations with an unbiased mindset and treat everyone with respect.

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Fairness

You believe that all people have value. You approach situations with an unbiased mindset and treat everyone with respect.

You let go of anger toward those who have done wrong. You accept that people make mistakes.

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Forgiveness

You let go of anger toward those who have done wrong. You accept that people make mistakes.

You are aware of and thankful for good things that happen.

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Gratitude

You are aware of and thankful for good things that happen.

You do not seek the spotlight. You let your actions speak for themselves.

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Humility

You do not seek the spotlight. You let your actions speak for themselves.

You like to laugh and bring smiles to other people.

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Humor

You like to laugh and bring smiles to other people.

Your choices reflect your values even when the choice is difficult. You are honest, keep your promises, and present yourself genuinely.

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Integrity

Your choices reflect your values even when the choice is difficult. You are honest, keep your promises, and present yourself genuinely.

You are generous to others and you are never too busy to help out. You enjoy doing good deeds for other people.

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Kindness

You are generous to others and you are never too busy to help out. You enjoy doing good deeds for other people.

You value each member of your group and inspire people to do their best.

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Leadership

You value each member of your group and inspire people to do their best.

You value close relationships with others and being close to people.

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Love

You value close relationships with others and being close to people.

You master new skills and topics on your own or in school.

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Love of Learning

You master new skills and topics on your own or in school.

You like to consider new ideas and try new things. You examine things from all sides and don’t jump to conclusions.

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Open-Mindedness

You like to consider new ideas and try new things. You examine things from all sides and don’t jump to conclusions.

You expect the best from the future and work to achieve it.

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Optimism

You expect the best from the future and work to achieve it.

You complete what you start despite obstacles. You never give up.

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Perseverance

You complete what you start despite obstacles. You never give up.

You appreciate that people see things in different ways. You have the ability to understand the world from multiple points of view.

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Perspective

You appreciate that people see things in different ways. You have the ability to understand the world from multiple points of view.

You plan for the future and achieve your goals by making careful everyday choices.

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Prudence

You plan for the future and achieve your goals by making careful everyday choices.

You have beliefs about the meaning of life and your life’s purpose. You seek to be part of something greater than yourself.

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Purpose

You have beliefs about the meaning of life and your life’s purpose. You seek to be part of something greater than yourself.

You have the ability to control your emotions and behaviors. You think before you act.

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Self-Control

You have the ability to control your emotions and behaviors. You think before you act.

You are aware of other people’s thoughts and feelings. You understand why they do things.

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Social Intelligence

You are aware of other people’s thoughts and feelings. You understand why they do things.

You work well as a member of a group or team. You are loyal, reliable, and dedicated to helping your team achieve its goals.

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Teamwork

You work well as a member of a group or team. You are loyal, reliable, and dedicated to helping your team achieve its goals.

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P2 for Families gives parents simple, no-prep ways to talk about character strengths with their kids.