[March 19, 2022] Here’s a little secret most people won’t tell you. Never lie, cheat, or steal … and do not tolerate those who do. These are the most basic and original human building blocks to success and satisfying life.
Of all the things I write about in this blog, to stop lying, cheating, and stealing will be the most difficult to do. These corrupt us and such behavior makes us weaker, less respected and turns us into sniveling cowards.
“Never lie, never cheat, never steal. Don’t whine; don’t complain; don’t make excuses.” – John Wooden, American basketball coach
Telling the truth and not cheating or stealing requires practice, practice, and more practice. It is easy to slip up. Curiously, we are often actively encouraged to lie, cheat, and steal by friends and family. Sometimes we are taught how to do it and “get away with it.” You can even lie to yourself. But, in the long run, you can never get away with it.
Tell the truth, or, at least, do not lie. Do not tell of those things you know to be false. Of these three I write about, telling the truth is the real key.
We all know the difference between lying and telling the truth. We all know when we lie – to purposefully tell someone what we know to be false. A lie is very enticing. It gives us short-term relief or prestige or gets us out of a jam. Please don’t do it. You will garner more respect, and people will go to you as someone they can trust.
Many of us learned this the hard way; I did. On my second day picking cotton, I put a couple of large rocks into my cotton sack.1 Since pickers get paid by the weight of the cotton, I figured this was a good way to get more money for less work. But, like so often happens, I was caught red-handed.
I often tell this story much later in life to young children for the lessons learned. I was ashamed more than anything, but it was not that I cheated so much, but I had let down my grandfather and the other workers by lying about it. For that reason, I was no longer a member of the cotton-picking team. I was alone. This incident was a defining moment in my life when I realized that it is better to be thought of as stupid than to be seen as a liar, cheater, and thief.
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- Full article here: https://www.theleadermaker.com/leadership-picking-cotton/
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Please read my new book, “Our Longest Year in Iraq,” at Amazon (link here).
Best advice anyone can get. The issue is trying to adhere to it and stick to it always.
Got that right Doc jeff. Too many young folks (and older too) are encouraged to lie, cheat, and steal. Lower standards and see what you get. Not good.
Here is some of the best advice you’re ever going to get. This idea that Gen. Satterfield gives us is proven over time and as he notes, over all cultures. For those who believe the old ways are just for knuckle-draggers, then you have a meeting with reality that is going to put you in your place at some point in the near future.
Your parents should have taught you this and spanked your butt if caught lying, stealing, or cheating. Only the weak do these things. Only the strong resist them. If you want to be free, you must be strong. Otherwise why live at all.
While we all discuss the importance of telling the truth, never cheating or stealing, I’m of the vain that telling the truth – at least don’t lie – is at the heart of really becoming fully human. If you tell the truth, IMHO, you also will not steal or cheat (how could you?). So, the real lesson – the main lesson – is to tell the truth. Truth telling is the master of ourselves.
Spot on comment Max, once again you’ve nailed it. Start by telling the truth as much as you can. I know it’s hard and we all tend to slide backwards. But do so and you will quickly realize what freedom is all about. Lie and you will only know hell.
True Americans don’t lie cheat steal and we don’t get along well with folks who do. That’s the way of the world. Pure and simple.
POW! Got that right American Girl. I’m with you. I won’t let this slide by me any more. I’ll be taking a stand to find out the real truth and those who lie about it will hear from me. I’ll call them out publically. Otherwise, the liars will be rewarded and encouraged.
The more I read this senior leadership website by Gen. Satterfield, the more I like it. I’m addicted to my daily dose of leadership. Keep up the wonderful work you are doing for us, sir.
Dr. Jordan Peterson, “Tell the truth, at least don’t [purposefully] lie.” He and Gen. Satterfield are right. And, sadly, this is no real secret.
You got that right, Jonny. 👍👍👍👍👍
….. and we are taught how to get away with it. —– Is this what we should be teaching kids? Of course not but we are. That is why Gen. Satterfield is advising us not to tolerate people like this. Stand up folks and don’t tolerate this kind of irresponsibility.
It is, unfortunate, in my humble opinion that so many of our society take the easy way out in life by giving in to the temptation to lie, cheat and steal. I wouldn’t be so angry at this if it were only a few folks who succumb to this attraction but now we have prominent politicians and other leaders who encourage it every day. Leaders lead by example and too many are lying to us and we can see it.
Yep, not surprised. This has been coming for a long time. When you treat others favorably or unfavorably based on their gender, skin color, etc. you have to lie about the results. Fact!! Don’t get gaslighted by our media either.
Normalized lying. So sad.
And a 5 year old would know better. But we teach him it is okay to lie, cheat, and steal for the “betterment” of him.
“Never lie, never cheat, never steal.” Greatest advice ever.
Great website we have here. I wish I’d discovered it earlier in my life and now I’m sending it out to others i know. Thanks folks for helping make my day.
Welcome Cow Blue to our leadership forum where you can get great feedback on your ideas and politely so. Please feel free to make logical comments, those that are informed with references (if possilble) to make sure we are not arguing on the emotional level. 😊
Yes! Welcome Cow Blue.
Cow Blue, great comment. I’m doing the same.
Right, our youth are being ENCOURAGED to lie, cheat, and steal and that this sort of behavior is okay because it is justified because the world is “unfair.”