---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: integrity means both personal wholeness…"
description: "\"“integrity means both personal wholeness and adherence to values outside yourself - especially goodness and truth”\" — John Adair"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/566/john-adair-23365_integrity_integrity-means-both-personal-wholeness_2715353.jpg"
---

#  integrity means both personal wholeness and adherence to…

![“integrity means both personal wholeness and adherence to values outside yourself - especially goodness and truth” quote by John Adair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/566/john-adair-23365_integrity_integrity-means-both-personal-wholeness_2715353.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/566/john-adair-23365_integrity_integrity-means-both-personal-wholeness_2715353.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/566/john-adair-23365_integrity_integrity-means-both-personal-wholeness_2715353.jpg)

> ““integrity means both personal wholeness and adherence to values outside yourself - especially goodness and truth””

[John Adair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adair/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Integrity involves personal wholeness and aligning with external values like goodness and truth.

**In simple terms:** Integrity means being whole and true to moral standards.

Key Takeaway

Cultivate personal wholeness and moral alignment.

Themes

integrity values personal development ethics truth

Mood

reflective motivational

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

- leadership training
- personal coaching
- organizational culture
- ethical decision-making

Key Concepts

wholeness moral consistency character building

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you maintain integrity under pressure?
- What practices support personal wholeness?

A Different Perspective

Integrity can be challenged by conflicting external pressures.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Goodness Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness-truth-425319/) [Integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity/) [Integrity Means](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity-means-427837/) [Personal Wholeness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-wholeness-2840417/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Wholeness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wholeness/) [Wholeness Adherence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wholeness-adherence-2840418/)

## Related quotes

> [“Giving and receiving unconditional love is the most effective and powerful way to personal wholeness and happiness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bradshaw/giving-and-receiving-unconditional-love-is-the-most-effective-and/)

[John Bradshaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bradshaw/)

> [“Purity is about wholeness or integrity. It means that the body, mind, heart, and soul are rightly ordered toward God. Every element of who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-j-chaput/purity-is-about-wholeness-or-integrity-it-means-that-the-body-mind/)

[Charles J. Chaput](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-j-chaput/)

> [“Integrity means wholeness, unity; the idea of integrity as a value is the idea of a life lived as a whole rather than as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-craig/integrity-means-wholeness-unity-the-idea-of-integrity-as-a-value-is/)

[Edward Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-craig/)

> [Having integrity...means being completely true to what is inside you - to what you know is right...what you feel you must do, regardless of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-goldwyn/having-integrity-means-being-completely-true-to-what-is-inside-you-to/)

[Samuel Goldwyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-goldwyn/)

> [Sexual integrity means honestly recognizing our own impulses and desires and honoring them, whether or not we choose to act on them. If we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/starhawk/sexual-integrity-means-honestly-recognizing-our-own-impulses-and/)

[Starhawk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/starhawk/)

> [If you look after goodness and truth, beauty will take care of itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-look-after-goodness-and-truth-beauty-will-take-care-of-itself/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [That which you create in beauty and goodness and truth lives on for all time to come. Don't spend your life accumulating material objects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/that-which-you-create-in-beauty-and-goodness-and-truth-lives-on-for/)

[Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/)

> [“Ought we not to look upon our own history as being at least as full of God, as full of His goodness and of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-h-spurgeon/ought-we-not-to-look-upon-our-own-history-as-being-at-least-as-full/)

[Charles H. Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-h-spurgeon/)

> [“In Christian tradition, beauty, goodness, and truth are known as “transcendentals,” linked to the three core human abilities to feel, to wish, and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barron/in-christian-tradition-beauty-goodness-and-truth-are-known-as/)

[Robert Barron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barron/)

> [I have been asked many times, Why do you laugh so much and make so many jokes? I become serious sometimes-when I have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/i-have-been-asked-many-times-why-do-you-laugh-so-much-and-make-so/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [“Never to the end of his life could he understand goodness, beauty, or truth, or the significance of his actions which were too contrary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/never-to-the-end-of-his-life-could-he-understand-goodness-beauty-or/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [For us, with the rule of right and wrong given us by Christ, there is nothing for which we have no standard. And there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/for-us-with-the-rule-of-right-and-wrong-given-us-by-christ-there-is/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [There is no greatness where there is no simplicity, goodness and truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/there-is-no-greatness-where-there-is-no-simplicity-goodness-and-truth/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [God who is goodness and truth is also beauty. It is this innate human and divine longing, found in the company of goodness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberta-bondi/god-who-is-goodness-and-truth-is-also-beauty-it-is-this-innate-human/)

[Roberta Bondi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberta-bondi/)

> [“There is no greatness where simplicity, goodness and truth are absent”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/there-is-no-greatness-where-simplicity-goodness-and-truth-are-absent/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

## More by John Adair

> [“Humble people know their limitations: they know what they know, and they know what they do not know; they know what they can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adair/humble-people-know-their-limitations-they-know-what-they-know-and/)

[John Adair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adair/)

> [“Those occupying leadership roles who completely lack integrity are what we call 'Blind shepherds'. They are not really 'bad' leaders, because they are not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adair/those-occupying-leadership-roles-who-completely-lack-integrity-are/)

[John Adair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adair/)

> [“You cannot be a military leader without physical courage. But there are Plenty of soldiers with physical courage who are not leaders”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adair/you-cannot-be-a-military-leader-without-physical-courage-but-there/)

[John Adair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adair/)

> [“Humans are not machines, and some of their energy during the day will go into discussions or activities unrelated to the common task. Within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adair/humans-are-not-machines-and-some-of-their-energy-during-the-day-will/)

[John Adair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adair/)

> [“Effective leaders treat individuals differently but equally”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adair/effective-leaders-treat-individuals-differently-but-equally/)

[John Adair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adair/)

> [The chief executive who knows his strengths and weaknesses as a leader is likely to be far more effective than the one who remains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adair/the-chief-executive-who-knows-his-strengths-and-weaknesses-as-a/)

[John Adair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adair/)

> [“There is a useful distinction between good leaders and leaders of good”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adair/there-is-a-useful-distinction-between-good-leaders-and-leaders-of-good/)

[John Adair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adair/)

> [“Success is often to be found at the edge of failure”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adair/success-is-often-to-be-found-at-the-edge-of-failure/)

[John Adair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adair/)

> [“Instinctively, a common feeling exists that "United we stand, divided we fall", that good relationship, desirable in themselves, are also an essential means towards…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adair/instinctively-a-common-feeling-exists-that-united-we-stand-divided-we/)

[John Adair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adair/)

> [“The price of excellence in teamwork is eternal vigilance”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adair/the-price-of-excellence-in-teamwork-is-eternal-vigilance/)

[John Adair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adair/)

> [“Integrity is the noblest possession. -Latin Proverb.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adair/integrity-is-the-noblest-possession-latin-proverb/)

[John Adair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adair/)

> [“Leadership is essentially an other-centred activity not self centred one”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adair/leadership-is-essentially-an-other-centred-activity-not-self-centred/)

[John Adair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adair/)

> [“Developing self-confidence is always the preliminary to becoming a leader. but don't let it become overconfidence, the first station on the track leading to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adair/developing-self-confidence-is-always-the-preliminary-to-becoming-a/)

[John Adair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adair/)

> [“Work groups and organization come into being because there is a task to be done that is too big for one person”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adair/work-groups-and-organization-come-into-being-because-there-is-a-task/)

[John Adair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adair/)

> [“A manager will take six months to get to know his staff, but they will take only six days to get to know him”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adair/a-manager-will-take-six-months-to-get-to-know-his-staff-but-they-will/)

[John Adair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adair/)

[Explore all 26 John Adair quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adair/)

## More Integrity quotes

> [Self-respect and a clear conscience are powerful components of integrity and are the basis for enriching your relationships with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/self-respect-and-a-clear-conscience-are-powerful-components-of/)

[Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/)

> [I can be taken away from myself quite easily, I kind of start betraying myself and compromising my integrity, to keep someone else happy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aimee-lou-wood/i-can-be-taken-away-from-myself-quite-easily-i-kind-of-start/)

[Aimee Lou Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aimee-lou-wood/)

> [I take the responsibility of playing another ethnicity very, very seriously, and I promise myself and those people that I will represent them with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cliff-curtis/i-take-the-responsibility-of-playing-another-ethnicity-very-very/)

[Cliff Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cliff-curtis/)

> [I have often spoken of integrity as the most important of these values, realizing that integrity – and personal integrity, at that – is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/verghese-kurien/i-have-often-spoken-of-integrity-as-the-most-important-of-these/)

[Verghese Kurien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/verghese-kurien/)

> [The Kennedys have always represented a certain royal quality, Camelot, and they represent a great deal of integrity and strength and perseverance; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-slater/the-kennedys-have-always-represented-a-certain-royal-quality-camelot/)

[Christian Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-slater/)

> [We want to promote the great quality of athletics - and maintain it's integrity - all over the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alberto-juantorena/we-want-to-promote-the-great-quality-of-athletics-and-maintain-it-s/)

[Alberto Juantorena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alberto-juantorena/)

> [A man should be upright, not kept upright.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/a-man-should-be-upright-not-kept-upright/)

[Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/)

> [“God has a way of picking a “nobody” and turning their world upside down, in order to create a “somebody” that will remove the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/god-has-a-way-of-picking-a-nobody-and-turning-their-world-upside-down/)

[Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/)

> [Too much principle is often more harmful than too little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-glasgow/too-much-principle-is-often-more-harmful-than-too-little/)

[Ellen Glasgow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-glasgow/)

> [The interesting thing is that everyone in golf is just nice. You learn a lot about people playing golf: their integrity, how they play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/the-interesting-thing-is-that-everyone-in-golf-is-just-nice-you-learn/)

[Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/)

> [Don't worry so much about your self-esteem. Worry more about your character. Integrity is its own reward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-schlessinger/don-t-worry-so-much-about-your-self-esteem-worry-more-about-your/)

[Laura Schlessinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-schlessinger/)

> [The family remains the basic unit of society and the first school in which children learn the human, spiritual and moral values which enable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/the-family-remains-the-basic-unit-of-society-and-the-first-school-in/)

[Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/)

> [“We should remark the grace and fascination that there is even in the incidentals of Nature's processes.. When a loaf of bread,. for instance,.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/we-should-remark-the-grace-and-fascination-that-there-is-even-in-the/)

[Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/)

> [The reason I do small, independent movies is because I want to keep my soul intact and maintain some kind of integrity within this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-bell/the-reason-i-do-small-independent-movies-is-because-i-want-to-keep-my/)

[Jamie Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-bell/)

> [The 'key-log' which must be moved to release the evolutionary process for an ethic is simply this: quit thinking about decent land-use as solely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/land-ethic/the-key-log-which-must-be-moved-to-release-the-evolutionary-process/)

[Land ethic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/land-ethic/)

[Browse all 4,810 Integrity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“integrity means both personal wholeness and adherence to values outside yourself - especially goodness and truth”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Adair"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adair/integrity-means-both-personal-wholeness-and-adherence-to-values/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Integrity"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adair/integrity-means-both-personal-wholeness-and-adherence-to-values/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/566/john-adair-23365_integrity_integrity-means-both-personal-wholeness_2715353.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/566/john-adair-23365_integrity_integrity-means-both-personal-wholeness_2715353.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/566/john-adair-23365_integrity_integrity-means-both-personal-wholeness_2715353.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“integrity means both personal wholeness and adherence to values outside yourself - especially goodness and…” — John Adair",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "John Adair",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adair/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“integrity means both personal wholeness and...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adair/integrity-means-both-personal-wholeness-and-adherence-to-values/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adair/integrity-means-both-personal-wholeness-and-adherence-to-values/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
