--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: at the heart of character is honesty and…" description: "\"“at the heart of character is honesty and integrity.”\" — Mike Krzyzewski" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7e/mike-krzyzewski-2324_character_at-the-heart-of-character-is-honesty-and_1873197.png" --- # at the heart of character is honesty and integrity. ![“at the heart of character is honesty and integrity.” quote by Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7e/mike-krzyzewski-2324_character_at-the-heart-of-character-is-honesty-and_1873197.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7e/mike-krzyzewski-2324_character_at-the-heart-of-character-is-honesty-and_1873197.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7e/mike-krzyzewski-2324_character_at-the-heart-of-character-is-honesty-and_1873197.png) > ““at the heart of character is honesty and integrity.”” [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Integrity and honesty form the foundation of strong character and trustworthy leadership. **In simple terms:** Honesty builds solid character. Key Takeaway Lead by example with truthfulness. Themes leadership ethics character Mood motivational serious Type advice inspirational When to use this quote - team management - coaching - public speaking Key Concepts moral philosophy trust building Questions to Reflect On - How do you maintain honesty under stress? - What actions demonstrate your integrity? A Different Perspective Integrity can be challenged by pressure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Honesty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honesty/) [Honesty and integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honesty-and-integrity/) [Integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity/) ## Related quotes > [“A reputation for honesty and integrity is one of those “intangible assets” that pays off in ways we can never fully anticipate.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-turak/a-reputation-for-honesty-and-integrity-is-one-of-those-intangible/) [August Turak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-turak/) > [If you're Obama, can you imagine being lectured to about honesty and integrity from a convicted perjurer, Bill Clinton? My gosh, folks, I mean,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/if-you-re-obama-can-you-imagine-being-lectured-to-about-honesty-and/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Let no pleasure tempt thee, no profit allure thee, no persuasion move thee, to do anything which thou knowest to be evil; so shalt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/let-no-pleasure-tempt-thee-no-profit-allure-thee-no-persuasion-move/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“was often told what I should do. He expected honesty and integrity in all aspects of life, but I was also told to hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-sparks/was-often-told-what-i-should-do-he-expected-honesty-and-integrity-in/) [Nicholas Sparks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-sparks/) > [Do the right thing because it is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immanuel-kant/do-the-right-thing-because-it-is-right/) [Immanuel Kant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immanuel-kant/) > [May we be people of honesty and integrity trying to do the right thing at all times and in all circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/may-we-be-people-of-honesty-and-integrity-trying-to-do-the-right/) [Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/) > [Honesty and integrity is an important part of our character, my character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-saban/honesty-and-integrity-is-an-important-part-of-our-character-my/) [Nick Saban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-saban/) > [The responsibilities of someone in a more free and open society are, again obviously, greater than those who may pay some cost for honesty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-responsibilities-of-someone-in-a-more-free-and-open-society-are/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted in important affairs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/whoever-is-careless-with-the-truth-in-small-matters-cannot-be-trusted/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Integrity is at the heart of commerce in the world in which we live. Honesty and integrity comprise the very underpinnings of society…Indeed, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/integrity-is-at-the-heart-of-commerce-in-the-world-in-which-we-live/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [Honesty and integrity are absolutely essential for success in life - all areas of life. The really good news is that anyone can develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/honesty-and-integrity-are-absolutely-essential-for-success-in-life/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-am-not-bound-to-win-but-i-am-bound-to-be-true/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Integrity gives you real freedom because you have nothing to fear since you have nothing to hide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zig-ziglar/integrity-gives-you-real-freedom-because-you-have-nothing-to-fear/) [Zig Ziglar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zig-ziglar/) > [Whether you voted for me or not, I work for you, and will always seek to serve our state with honesty and integrity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-kim/whether-you-voted-for-me-or-not-i-work-for-you-and-will-always-seek/) [Andy Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-kim/) > [We learned about honesty and integrity - that the truth matters... that you don't take shortcuts or play by your own set of rules...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/we-learned-about-honesty-and-integrity-that-the-truth-matters-that/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) ## More by Mike Krzyzewski > [I don't look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-don-t-look-at-myself-as-a-basketball-coach-i-look-at-myself-as-a/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [Good sound habits are more important than rules - use concepts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/good-sound-habits-are-more-important-than-rules-use-concepts/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [Always get back to your core principles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/always-get-back-to-your-core-principles/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [Parents can really help, but they can also really hinder the development of their youngsters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/parents-can-really-help-but-they-can-also-really-hinder-the/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [That's what I do now: I lead and I teach. If we win basketball games from doing that, then that's great, but I lead…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/that-s-what-i-do-now-i-lead-and-i-teach-if-we-win-basketball-games/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [I hated to lose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-hated-to-lose/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [We lost, and that's the main thing that went wrong,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/we-lost-and-that-s-the-main-thing-that-went-wrong/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [Leadership is simple: Add value to people everyday.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/leadership-is-simple-add-value-to-people-everyday/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [As teachers and coaches, we must remember that when mere winning is our only goal, we are doomed to disappointment and failure. But when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/as-teachers-and-coaches-we-must-remember-that-when-mere-winning-is/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [I don't think we surprise people. We try to out-execute them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-don-t-think-we-surprise-people-we-try-to-out-execute-them/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [A common mistake among those who work in sport is spending a disproportional amount of time on "x's and o's" as compared to time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/a-common-mistake-among-those-who-work-in-sport-is-spending-a/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [If you set up an atmosphere of community and trust, it becomes a tradition. Older team members will establish your credibility with newer ones.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/if-you-set-up-an-atmosphere-of-community-and-trust-it-becomes-a/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [Confidence shared is better than confidence only in yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/confidence-shared-is-better-than-confidence-only-in-yourself/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [A leader's responsibility to his team is paramount. It overshadows even his own personal feelings at any given time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/a-leader-s-responsibility-to-his-team-is-paramount-it-overshadows/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [The only way you're going to grow is to be in difficult situations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/the-only-way-you-re-going-to-grow-is-to-be-in-difficult-situations/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) [Explore all 171 Mike Krzyzewski quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) ## More Character quotes > [This may sound strange, but although I feel like I know everything about my characters, the brand of shampoo they use, how many cavities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gail-honeyman/this-may-sound-strange-but-although-i-feel-like-i-know-everything/) [Gail Honeyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gail-honeyman/) > [I always like a character who makes me laugh.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachael-stirling/i-always-like-a-character-who-makes-me-laugh/) [Rachael Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachael-stirling/) > [Social responsibility above the level of family, or at most of tribe, requires imagination-- devotion, loyalty, all the higher virtues -- which a man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/social-responsibility-above-the-level-of-family-or-at-most-of-tribe/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Reader, if you are gifted with nerves like mine, aspire to any character but that of a wit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lamb/reader-if-you-are-gifted-with-nerves-like-mine-aspire-to-any/) [Charles Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lamb/) > [I'm often moved by the circumstances around some of my characters, but I don't think I've actually cried watching myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-winslet/i-m-often-moved-by-the-circumstances-around-some-of-my-characters-but/) [Kate Winslet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-winslet/) > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) David Hudgins > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [If you are well-mannered towards those whose views are similar to yours, you may be said to exhibit a fairly good character. But, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-are-well-mannered-towards-those-whose-views-are-similar-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [In the fight between biology and morality, biology has commonly won in the end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/semir-zeki/in-the-fight-between-biology-and-morality-biology-has-commonly-won-in/) [Semir Zeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/semir-zeki/) > [Your looks don't make you pretty, it's the person inside who makes you pretty!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-chan/your-looks-don-t-make-you-pretty-it-s-the-person-inside-who-makes-you/) [Aaron Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-chan/) > [I'm not a huge social media kind of guy, so I don't really know, I don't really ever get... at least in real life,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/freddie-stroma/i-m-not-a-huge-social-media-kind-of-guy-so-i-don-t-really-know-i-don/) [Freddie Stroma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/freddie-stroma/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [Courage: the most important of all the virtues because without courage, you can't practice any other virtue consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/courage-the-most-important-of-all-the-virtues-because-without-courage/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) [Browse all 32,707 Character quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“at the heart of character is honesty and integrity.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Mike Krzyzewski" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/at-the-heart-of-character-is-honesty-and-integrity/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Character" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/at-the-heart-of-character-is-honesty-and-integrity/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7e/mike-krzyzewski-2324_character_at-the-heart-of-character-is-honesty-and_1873197.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7e/mike-krzyzewski-2324_character_at-the-heart-of-character-is-honesty-and_1873197.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7e/mike-krzyzewski-2324_character_at-the-heart-of-character-is-honesty-and_1873197.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“at the heart of character is honesty and integrity.” — Mike Krzyzewski", "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": "Mike Krzyzewski", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“at the heart of character is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/at-the-heart-of-character-is-honesty-and-integrity/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/at-the-heart-of-character-is-honesty-and-integrity/#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 } } ] } ```