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People who have a reputation for lying, exaggeration, and deceit often have a hard time getting people to believe them, even when they are telling the truth.  The fact is, we are known by what we consistently produce.  If people know you have been dishonest even once, then they will doubt your integrity in all that you do. 

Am I saying that anyone who has ever lied and/or stretched the truth is doomed?  Of course not.  In fact I would argue that everyone has made this mistake at some point in their lives.  However, we must be aware that trust is something that you earn.  Once broken trust can take years to rebuild, and sometimes never recovered to the same degree. 

It can be tempting to compromise our integrity in order to get what we want.  We may even convince ourselves that we deserve a break.  We rationalize by saying “everyone else is doing it.”     

Is it really worth the price?  Who do we really hurt?  The answer is simple.  When you are dishonest you hurt yourself most of all.  We pay not only with embarrassment, ridicule, and loss of credibility, but worse - we pay with the loss of our own self respect.

One woman who I respect tremendously is Mae Matlock.  I asked her what lesson in her life has helped her become the person she is today.  She said “My daddy always taught me that ‘You can lock up from a thief, but you can’t lock up from a liar’.”  Due to her father’s teaching Mae is one of the most honest people you could ever meet.  Those who know her don’t have to second guess what she says.

Always be honest. Guard against lies, half-truths, and omissions of the truth.  By being consistently honest and avoiding deceit you will become known as a trustworthy person.  This will help you earn respect and get the most out of your life.