--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Your integrity is like a sword, he would…" description: "\"“Your integrity is like a sword, he would say: you shouldn't wave it until you're about to put it to the test.”\" — Ken Follett" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/679/ken-follett-941_integrity_your-integrity-is-like-a-sword-he-would_139165.jpg" --- # Your integrity is like a sword, he would say: you… ![“Your integrity is like a sword, he would say: you shouldn't wave it until you're about to put it to the test.” quote by Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/679/ken-follett-941_integrity_your-integrity-is-like-a-sword-he-would_139165.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/679/ken-follett-941_integrity_your-integrity-is-like-a-sword-he-would_139165.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/679/ken-follett-941_integrity_your-integrity-is-like-a-sword-he-would_139165.jpg) > ““Your integrity is like a sword, he would say: you shouldn't wave it until you're about to put it to the test.”” [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Integrity should be reserved for moments of real test, not displayed frivolously. **In simple terms:** Save integrity for true challenges. Key Takeaway Guard your principles. Themes integrity honesty character Mood thoughtful serious Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - making decisions - facing criticism Key Concepts moral courage ethical consistency personal discipline Questions to Reflect On - When will you need to demonstrate integrity? - What risks arise from withholding it? A Different Perspective Integrity may be misunderstood if hidden. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity/) [Integrity Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity-like-795811/) [Like Sword](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-sword-717636/) [Sword Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sword-say-1576140/) [Wave Test](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wave-test-1576141/) [World-without-end](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-without-end-209089/) ## Related quotes > [I thought that Wu-Tang was the best sword style - the best sword-style of martial arts. And the tongue is like a sword. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rza/i-thought-that-wu-tang-was-the-best-sword-style-the-best-sword-style/) [Rza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rza/) > [“There pass the careless people That call their souls their own: Here by the road I loiter, How idle and alone. Ah, past the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-e-housman-2/there-pass-the-careless-people-that-call-their-souls-their-own-here/) [A.E. Housman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-e-housman-2/) > [We’re all good when it suits us, he used to say: that doesn’t count. It’s when you want so badly to do something wrong—when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/we-re-all-good-when-it-suits-us-he-used-to-say-that-doesn-t-count-it/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [Everything sells. Like integrity. Like democracy. Like truth. Like deeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-weber/everything-sells-like-integrity-like-democracy-like-truth-like-deeds/) [Steven Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-weber/) > [The power of the sword, say the minority... is in the hands of Congress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tench-coxe/the-power-of-the-sword-say-the-minority-is-in-the-hands-of-congress/) [Tench Coxe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tench-coxe/) > [“A little present from my run-in with a sword. Or should I say from when the sword had a run-in with me?” His eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-v-snyder/a-little-present-from-my-run-in-with-a-sword-or-should-i-say-from/) [Maria V. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-v-snyder/) > [“We must hide our integrity, like we hide our love.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ur-ananthamurthy/we-must-hide-our-integrity-like-we-hide-our-love/) [UR Ananthamurthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ur-ananthamurthy/) > [“Integrity is the very core of our being. It is who we really are. When all the scaffolding is removed, it is our integrity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tad-r-callister/integrity-is-the-very-core-of-our-being-it-is-who-we-really-are-when/) [Tad R. Callister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tad-r-callister/) > [Integrity, like humility, is a quality which vanishes the moment we are conscious of it in ourselves. We see it only in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/integrity-like-humility-is-a-quality-which-vanishes-the-moment-we-are/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [The desire for self-esteem without integrity is like the desire for wealth without effort-a longing for the unearned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathaniel-branden/the-desire-for-self-esteem-without-integrity-is-like-the-desire-for/) [Nathaniel Branden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathaniel-branden/) > [When all the scaffolding is removed it is our integrity that both defines us and identifies us. Men of integrity are like the Rock…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tad-r-callister/when-all-the-scaffolding-is-removed-it-is-our-integrity-that-both/) [Tad R. Callister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tad-r-callister/) > [“So how do you know whether a person has integrity? After all, like the foundation of a house, it may not be visible at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-moody/so-how-do-you-know-whether-a-person-has-integrity-after-all-like-the/) [Van Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-moody/) > [The key to looking good in a cape is the way you take it off. You should look like those sword-fighting people, the Three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/the-key-to-looking-good-in-a-cape-is-the-way-you-take-it-off-you/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) > [“word is like a sword; you should be wise when to use it or it'll kill and ruin everything you did in your past,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-thaselia/word-is-like-a-sword-you-should-be-wise-when-to-use-it-or-it-ll-kill/) [A Thaselia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-thaselia/) > [“My brother has his swords, I have my books. A mind needs books like a sword needs a whetstone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-brother-has-his-swords-i-have-my-books-a-mind-needs-books-like-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Ken Follett > [“A child will always be what he is, she thought, and not what you want him to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/a-child-will-always-be-what-he-is-she-thought-and-not-what-you-want/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“The extra line or two around her eyes only made them more fascinating; the touch of silver in her hair enhanced the blackness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/the-extra-line-or-two-around-her-eyes-only-made-them-more-fascinating/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“You're the one who doesn't understand," Lev said. "In America, I have my own car. 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Like all small boys, Philip thought his father was invincible; and this was the moment when he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/two-blades-clashed-ringing-like-a-bell-like-all-small-boys-philip/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“It had been a morning of vivid images: the man-made streams, the rats in the butchers’ shops, the stacks of new-minted silver pennies, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/it-had-been-a-morning-of-vivid-images-the-man-made-streams-the-rats/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“tickets and lifts begged on carts, but Grigori was mesmerized by her face as she talked. Once again Lev listened with rapt attention, making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/tickets-and-lifts-begged-on-carts-but-grigori-was-mesmerized-by-her/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“A man who has no fear can do anything he wants, Feliks thought. He had learned that lesson eleven years ago, in a railway…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/a-man-who-has-no-fear-can-do-anything-he-wants-feliks-thought-he-had/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“Alison was relieved: she would have hated to see Mary lose her dignity as well as her life. “Follow me,” said the sheriff. Mary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/alison-was-relieved-she-would-have-hated-to-see-mary-lose-her-dignity/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“Jack was too absorbed in his work to hear the bell. He was mesmerized by the challenge of making soft, round shapes of hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/jack-was-too-absorbed-in-his-work-to-hear-the-bell-he-was-mesmerized/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“might spook Harald and cause him to flee. She had to visit in person. This would be even more risky. Morlunde was a town,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/might-spook-harald-and-cause-him-to-flee-she-had-to-visit-in-person/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) > [“I bambini vennero presto per assistere all'impiccagione.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-follett/i-bambini-vennero-presto-per-assistere-all-impiccagione/) [Ken Follett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) [Explore all 291 Ken Follett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-follett/) ## 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.. 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