Everything Counts: 52 Remarkable Ways to Inspire Excellence and Drive Results

Chapter 39. Truth Counts

"Confront truth and reality as it is, not as it was or as you wish it to be."

Death and taxes are not the only guarantees in life; the truth counts as well. Deny the truth, and you will soon discover that life is a game that can deliver a whole lot of undesirable consequences.

Facts are facts, perceptions are perceptions. Each is powerful, and each serves a purpose. But you MUST know the difference between them. True honesty, self-respect, trust, and character are built on truth, not on perceptions. The acceptance of truth is not an option, but a moral obligation. Lies destroy progress, compromise character, and ruin relationships with others and ourselves.

Truth is what it is—the truth. Your health, wealth, relationships, and peace of mind are what they are. Stick with the facts . . . the truth. Every decision about your life must be based on it.

Unfortunately, truth often becomes a piñata for those unwilling to accept reality. This applies to those unwilling to admit to an addiction, a bad marriage, a competitive liability, a criminal act, or an ethical injustice. To resist the truth over a period of time results in an inevitable backlash. The truth is often viewed as a blunt instrument. It is the thing that many people resist at all costs, often waiting until all options are exhausted before accepting or acknowledging its irrevocability. While progress is desirable, the truth is often the first casualty thrown overboard without a life preserver.

Everyone must ...