Five Steps to Determining Your Moral Compass
Living a life of integrity is living a life of TRUTH. And when you are living a life of truth, there’s nothing to hide.
When there’s nothing to hide, there’s nothing but pride.
You do the right thing, even when no one is watching, not because you’re getting rewarded, but because the reward is living a life of integrity. Zig Ziglar
Do you know what your moral compass is?
A compass helps you ensure that you’re moving in a consistent direction when you’re in the wilderness and can’t see any landmarks for guidance. A moral compass is like a real compass in that it helps you make life decisions when no one is watching. For example, how many of us think speed limit signs are at best suggestions and don’t have to be followed when no one is looking? Many of us.
I guarantee on the open highways in New Mexico, where you see few cars, the ones you see most are ignoring the speed limits. We make hundreds if not thousands of decisions each day that are made according to our moral compass.
What’s a moral compass?
A moral compass is a guiding principle for making decisions. It’s what helps people determine the difference between right and wrong. A moral compass is a personal set of principles or values that help someone make decisions about right and wrong. We all have learned our values from a variety of sources as we grew up. A major source is a church you may have attended. Another is the crowd (peers) you hang around with at school. We each have developed one that is stuck in our heads. There’s no one right answer to this question; it’s up to the individual to decide what he or she believes.
How a Moral Compass Is Used in Life
A moral compass is a compass used to help find the right path in life. It’s a set of principles that help guide people to make the right decisions. I use my moral compass often, such as in personal relationships, at work, or when making important decisions. Having a moral compass can be helpful in making sure that you’re living a good and honest life. The four universal values: truth, compassion, respect, and integrity can be used to help make decisions that are a major part of your moral compass.
Five steps to create or modify your moral compass
1. Determine your values
Are the four universal values important to you? Then you need to reflect on what they mean to you.
2. Determine the life principles you want.
These principles come from your values and are broader. One I try to live by is treating all people with respect. I treat people like we’re all part of the same human family.
3. How do you determine right from wrong
Reflect on what you see going on around you.
4. How should you behave vs. how do you behave?
This is the tough one. We all see things happening around us that we often choose to ignore. But should we? In your reflections on what happened today, reflect on those things you ignored and strive to do better. Speak up. Take action. Live what you believe.
5. Change your values and behavior.
First, you have to decide if there’s something that you want and need to change. Then reflect on why it happened and what you should have done to be true to your moral compass. Then, the next time you’re faced with a situation, take time to think about your moral response.
Your moral compass is your personal code of ethics that helps you make decisions based on principles and beliefs. Everyone has their unique set of morals, shaped by family, culture, religion, and other life experiences. A moral compass can help people stay on the right track when they’re faced with difficult choices, and it can also help them strengthen their relationships with others. Through self-reflection know yourself.
Take responsibility for where you are in life, and accept the challenge required to get where you want to be.
