“Be true to your work, your word, and your friend.”
Henry David Thoreau
In order to be “true to your work, your word, and your friend” one must first have a full and clear understanding of what is most important in your life. What are the “non-negotiables” that form the bedrock of what you believe and define your decisions and your behaviors?
Find work that aligns with those principles. Don’t compromise.
Let your words always match those principles, even when it is hard to say what needs to be said. Don’t compromise.
Choose your friends based on aligned principles and values. Don’t compromise.
Doing these things is what allows you to be true and live a life of authenticity. Don’t compromise, because if you do, you aren’t being true.
