Summary

The article emphasizes the importance of maintaining self-respect and integrity in the face of failure and adversity, advocating for self-reward and personal growth as means to strengthen one's self-respect.

Abstract

The article, titled "Never Abandon Your Integrity If Failure Strikes," discusses the significance of self-respect in personal development and resilience. It uses the example of football coach Al Groh, who despite occupational setbacks, exemplified commitment, integrity, and self-respect. The piece argues that self-respect acts as armor against defeat and that even in the absence of external success, adhering to one's principles is crucial. It suggests that self-respect can be bolstered through self-reward for adherence to personal principles and accomplishments, as well as through the recognition and appreciation of others. The article also provides practical advice on building self-respect, such as being proactive, practicing humility, speaking one's mind, setting personal boundaries, and doing the right thing.

Opinions

The author believes that self-respect is a personal virtue that should be upheld regardless of external success or failure.
Self-respect is seen as a protective factor against the negative effects of failure and can be a source of internal reward.
Rewarding oneself is presented as a habit that reinforces self-respect and motivates continued personal growth.
The appreciation of others is considered important, but secondary to self-assessment in the cultivation of self-respect.
The article suggests that proactive behavior, humility, and assertiveness are key to earning the respect of others, which in turn reinforces self-respect.
Setting boundaries and standing up for oneself are viewed as essential practices for preserving self-respect in interactions with others.
The author quotes Pythagoras to underscore the philosophical

Never Abandon Your Integrity If Failure Strikes

How to strengthen the amour of Self-Respect

Despite adversity, the smart move is to stay with your integrity and resist self-downing. This article will highlight some of the many benefits of strengthening self-respect in the face of disaster.

At his post-game news conference, Al Groh, football coach, read a poem, “The Guy in the Glass,” about how the most important person an individual must please is himself. He closed with a testimonial about himself.

“You can fool the whole world down the pathway of years,

And get pats on the back as you pass,

But your final reward will be heartaches and tears

If you’ve cheated the guy in the glass.”

“When I visited the guy in the glass, I saw that he’s a guy of commitment, integrity, dependability, and accountability,” Groh said. “He’s loyal, his spirit is indomitable, and he’s caring and loving. I will always call the guy in the glass a friend.”

This comment was notable since his occupational success was not great. He had failed as head coach at Virginia and the NY Jets. Later he became an assistant coach at Georgia Tech.

His status was up, but then it fell. He showed he was a believer in self-respect despite his losses.

Staying the Course

Because, despite losing, he had all the characteristics of worthiness, integrity, dependability, loyalty, etc.

Pleasing yourself is the chief positive result of following your own best principles. And this remains the case even when the goals fail to materialize.

This idea of preserving your self-respect even when you are not doing well in the external world suggests that self-respect can function as armor to protect you from defeat or embarrassment.

Strengthening self-respect is vital to staying the course and preserving your dignity despite what happens to you in the outer world.

One of the best ways to strengthen your self-respect is to act in ways that allow the harvesting of rewards. Often these rewards can come from yourself.

Hollywood actor Dwayne Johnson has a saying: “Don’t cheat yourself; treat yourself.”

Self-Rewards

Rewarding yourself is a good habit to build. Even a small reward is an excellent motivation to continue and feel proud of your accomplishment.

Such rewards might include online shopping for a new outfit, concert tickets, dinner at a fancy restaurant, or skipping a workout.

Whatever way you choose to treat yourself, it’s something you should practice. A deserved reward helps confirm your self-respect and makes that respect stronger.

“Reward yourself enough to walk away from anything that no longer serves you, grows you, or no longer makes you happy.” Robert Tew

Gain Appreciation from Others

Others’ appreciation can also be a great way to boost your self-respect. Remember, self-respect rests on two things: your self-assessment and the evaluations of others.

Three ways to boost your value in the eyes of others are:

· Be always proactive. Don’t wait for suggestions. Use your assets to get things done; Solve things yourself and volunteer for challenging tasks.

· Practice humility. Every person you meet can teach you something, so don’t be shy about asking for help. Don’t take anything the other person says personally. Accept the other person’s opinion and give up any need you have to prove you’re right.

·Speak your mind. Respected people have strong opinions and are not afraid to express them. Don’t be scared to mention these ideas occasionally, especially during a casual meeting.

In my experience, the best way to strengthen your self-respect is by accomplishment and skill building. Building yourself up to provide more value to others is the gold standard for self-improvement.

But there are many other paths to self-strengthening:

· Set boundaries around yourself. Don’t fall into the trap of letting someone convince you to do something you dislike. Be willing to say ‘no.’

· Avoid putting yourself down. Especially don’t do this if it makes someone else feel better.

· Stand up for yourself. Don’t let people push you around in life. You’re entitled to respect. But, if you don’t respect yourself publicly, people will assume they don’t need to respect you.

· Do the right thing. Following proper norms applies to your relations with others. If you have good habits and values, that conveys you are a trustworthy person.

· “Respect heroes above men, gods above demi-gods, and respect yourself.” Pythagoras

· “Respect yourself. The rest will follow. “Pythagoras

Failure or dips in fortune never warrants abandonment of your integrity. Instead, follow some of the well-known routes to self-rectification. Doing so well armor you against adversity and failure.

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