About this quote

Lying damages the person telling the lie far more than the person who hears it. When you speak untruths, you slowly warp your own ability to see reality. It starts with small, convenient fabrications, but soon those compromises become your default way of thinking. Can you honestly trust your own judgment when your daily speech is built on deception? Protect your mind by choosing absolute honesty in your everyday speech.

When to use it

• A project manager is tempted to invent a technical error to cover up a missed deadline. 'If I make up an excuse about a server crash, I start a habit of avoiding accountability. It is better to tell the truth now so I do not get comfortable with deceit.'
• A spouse thinks about hiding a minor, unnecessary purchase from their partner to avoid a small disagreement. 'I need to stop hiding these small receipts. Agreeing to lie about the little things eventually rots the trust in our entire marriage.'
• An athlete is tempted to tell their coach they completed the full conditioning circuit when they actually skipped the final run. 'Lying about those last reps only hurts my own growth. I am cheating my own character more than anyone else.'
• A student considers using an online generator to write their history essay and claim it as original work. 'Copying this paper might get me a passing grade, but I will know I am a fraud. I cannot build self-respect on a foundation of stolen words.'