If you always tell the truth, you’ll never have to worry about remembering what you said. Nothing’s more important than credibility. Lose that and you’ve lost everything! George Jones started out as an assistant at a grocery shop. He quickly gained a reputation as a bright, ambitious employee - a man known for his work ethic, good manners and easy-going personality. But the foremost trait people referred to when praising George was his honesty. That’s what later came to the attention of Henry J Raymond, the renowned journalist. Together they started The New York Times. Years later, when The Times waged a crusade against ‘Boss Tweed’ and his corrupt dynasty, Jones received an under-the-table offer of $500,000 - a vast sum at that time. All he had to do was retire to Europe. 'You can live like a prince the rest of your days,' said the con man making the offer. 'Yes,' replied Jones, 'and know myself every day to be a rascal.'

 

The poet wrote:
'I have to live with myself and so,
I want to be fit for myself to know.
I want to be able as days go by,
always to look myself in the eye.
I don’t want to stand in the setting sun,
and hate myself for the things I’ve done.
I don’t want to keep on a closet shelf,
a lot of secrets about myself;
and fool myself as I come and go,
into thinking nobody else will know –
the kind of man I really am.'

 

Today, be honest!