You don’t really notice your integrity until you feel tempted to break it.
We all face moments where we’re tempted to take the easy way out. Maybe we fudge the truth on a report, ghost someone we should’ve been honest with, or justify skipping that workout we promised ourselves we’d do. I’ve been there. More times than I’d like to admit. But something shifts when you decide to live with integrity. You stop making excuses, and you start aligning your life with what actually matters.
In my own journey—through binge eating, drinking, laziness, gaming, and losing over 110 pounds—integrity has become my anchor. Not perfection. Not performance. Just being honest with myself and trying to make the right choice, especially when no one is watching.
Let’s explore 30 quotes about integrity and ethics that have helped me reset, refocus, and rise again when I slip. I hope they do the same for you.
What Is Integrity, Really?
Integrity isn’t just about telling the truth. It’s about all the small decisions that shape who you are. When no one’s looking, do you keep your promises—even the ones you make to yourself? That’s where real change begins.
Here are some quotes to help you understand integrity on a deeper level:
- “Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching.” — C.S. Lewis
- “You are what you do, not what you say you’ll do.” — Carl Jung
- “The truth of your character is expressed through the choice of your actions.” — Dr. Steve Maraboli
- “Integrity is choosing your thoughts and actions based on values rather than personal gain.” — Unknown
I used to say I wanted to lose weight and be healthy, but I kept binging and quitting. It wasn’t until I held myself accountable—alone, with God, with no backup audience—that things finally shifted.
Why Ethics Matter in Everyday Life
Sometimes people think “ethics” only apply in politics or corporate boardrooms. But ethics are just everyday decisions. They show up in how you treat someone who can’t do anything for you or how you respond when temptation comes knocking.
- “Ethics is knowing the difference between what you have a right to do and what is right to do.” — Potter Stewart
- “In matters of conscience, the law of the majority has no place.” — Mahatma Gandhi
- “Do what is right, not what is easy.” — Roy T. Bennett
- “Real integrity is doing the right thing, knowing that nobody’s going to know whether you did it or not.” — Oprah Winfrey
One of the hardest things about quitting drinking for me was handling the social pressure. It felt easier to just go along, but that wasn’t the right road for me. The right road was quiet and difficult—but it led to peace.
Choosing Integrity Over Comfort
Here’s the real talk: integrity often costs something. It’s less comfortable. It may make you lose friends. You might miss quick wins. But the freedom and peace you get in return? So worth it.
- “If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything.” — Alexander Hamilton
- “Wisdom is knowing the right path to take. Integrity is taking it.” — M.H. McKee
- “What you allow is what will continue.” — Unknown
- “Don’t compromise yourself. You’re all you’ve got.” — Janis Joplin
Building integrity is like building muscle. And most days, that means showing up when you don’t feel like it. Even if it’s just working deeply for two hours instead of ten. Even if it’s walking away from a bad habit just once today. That consistency adds up.
How Faith Strengthens Integrity
For me, growing closer to God has been the biggest shift in my integrity. When I started reading Scripture regularly and reconnecting with my Christian Orthodox roots, things really changed. Suddenly, I wasn’t just avoiding bad decisions. I wanted to honor something bigger than myself.
- “Better is a poor man who walks in integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.” — Proverbs 28:6
- “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.” — Proverbs 11:3
- “Whoever walks in integrity walks securely.” — Proverbs 10:9
- “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” — Psalm 51:10
Daily prayer, gratitude journaling, and leaning into God’s presence helped me overcome things I thought I would struggle with forever—like food addiction or laziness. When your why is clear, your choices follow.
Raising Your Standards
Want a better life? Raise your standards. Not in a prideful way, but in a clear, honest way. Start keeping your word. Start honoring your commitment to yourself. Wake up when you said you would. Pray even when you’re tired. Eat the meal you planned.
Small wins, repeated daily, change everything.
- “Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most.” — Abraham Lincoln
- “Be loyal to your future, not your past.” — Unknown
- “You can’t build a reputation on what you’re going to do.” — Henry Ford
- “You are always responsible for how you act, no matter how you feel.” — Robert Greene
When I was first losing weight, I didn’t focus on the number. I focused on showing up. Logging meals. Drinking water. Walking. Counting a win if I chose a better option even once a day. It wasn’t flashy, but it was honest. And it worked.
Be the Same in Darkness and in Light
The word integrity comes from the Latin “integer”—meaning whole. Wholeness. Not switching faces. Not being one way on Sunday and a different person on Friday night.
- “Integrity means that you are the same in public as you are in private.” — Joyce Meyer
- “Live so that when your children think of fairness and integrity, they think of you.” — H. Jackson Brown Jr.
- “The time is always right to do what is right.” — Martin Luther King Jr.
- “Success without integrity is failure.” — Zig Ziglar
Eventually, the goal isn’t to impress anyone. It’s to live a life that feels right in your own soul. No guilt. No shame. Nothing hidden. That’s true freedom.
So… What’s Your Next Step?
You don’t need to change everything overnight. You don’t have to be perfect. Just take one honest step today.
Maybe that means telling the truth in a conversation you’ve been avoiding. Maybe it’s deleting that app that leads to wasted time. Maybe it’s finally showing up for something you said you’d do.
Here’s your challenge for today:
Pick one area of your life where you’re not fully living in integrity. Write it down. Then do one small thing to change it—even if it’s just being honest with yourself.
And if you mess up tomorrow? No shame. Just try again. This isn’t about being flawless. It’s about being faithful.
Let’s walk together in truth and wholeness. One step at a time.
You’ve got this.
— Stephen Montagne
Founder, Good Existence
