Integrity is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching. ~ Charles Marshall (paraphrased and often attributed, incorrectly, to C.S. Lewis).
This is the second of five installments focusing on the tenets of Taekwondo: courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, and indomitable spirit. A good Taekwondo school will insist that its students exemplify all these traits. Understanding the meaning and purpose of each tenet is key to becoming a martial artist in both mind and body.
Integrity defined
According to Webster’s dictionary, integrity is a noun meaning “1a firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values; 2an unimpaired condition; 3the quality or state of being complete or undivided.” Various synonyms include goodness, virtue, character, and honesty. In Taekwondo, of course, integrity means all these things.
For the martial artist, however, integrity is intertwined with honor, and honor within a dojang is critical to ensure that an environment that allows martial artists to train to their full potential is cultivated. Training to one’s full potential requires training partners who possess integrity. An increase in empathy as one learns to trust his or her training partner is another surprising benefit of training in the martial arts, which I discuss more here.
Integrity leads to perseverance
The path to becoming proficient in Taekwondo (or any martial art) is progressive, with a firm foundation necessarily being a prerequisite for later, more difficult, concepts. Similarly, I would like to suggest that the 5 tenets of Taekwondo build upon each other. How to “be honest with yourself” is a popular “self-help” idea that permeates the internet. You can find advice from well-known people like Tony Robbins as well as those who could be your next door neighbor posting on popular social media outlets. With that in mind, aspiring to be a martial artist with integrity is more than telling the truth to your parents (or friends, or boss, or co-worker, or spouse, or…)—it is speaking truth to oneself.
Speaking truth to oneself is vital for perseverance, the third tenet of Taekwondo. If you don’t understand your own weakness, you cannot capitalize on your strengths. Continuing to speak honestly with oneself and others in the face of adversity can be extremely difficult—which inevitably leads to the development of perseverance. Refusing to compromise integrity. Learning to persevere. These are the things that enable trust to be built among families and friends and within the workplace.
Integrity in children
Taekwondo is a wonderful way to teach your children about the importance of having integrity. Young kids will learn by watching others act with integrity, and later, as they develop in their skills, they will be given the opportunity to demonstrate this character trait to younger students. The Taekwondo mat is an exceptional place for children to understand the consequences of being dishonest in a safe place.