Integrity and personal finances

Author and personal finance coach, Usiere Uko, writes on how lack of integrity can affect one’s finances

Integrity is a key word that can be applied in various contexts to mean the truth. Webster’s dictionary online defines integrity in three broad ways. In summary, integrity is a state or quality of being complete; purity, honesty, genuineness. Among other related words are unity and wholeness.

As human beings, we were created whole, not fragmented. If one area of your life is hurting or out of sync, it affects the others. If you are not at peace with your spouse, it manifests somehow at work. It is the same thing with our personal finances. You cannot separate finances from the professional, social, spiritual aspects of our lives etc. One has a knock-on effect on the other.

Divided we fall

Most couples invest more in their wedding than in their marriage. If couples put in the same effort they did into their wedding in their marriage, there will hardly be any divorce case. They spare no effort or expenses to make it the wedding of their dreams. They craft wonderful vows and recite it to the admiration of invited guests. A typical line goes like this:

“With this ring I thee wed, with my body I thee worship, and with all my worldly goods I thee endow: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.”

With claps, shouts of joy, drums and shower of confetti, the deal is sealed. However, in practice, that is often not the case. Some couples hide their worldly goods from each other years down the line. Some file incomplete or false declaration of assets. Success is not a solo sport. The almighty knew that, hence he said it is not good for a man to be alone. Sadly, many couples are not a team when it comes to family finances. The wedding vow of ‘two becoming one’ is long forgotten with the cake and confetti.

Some spouses make solo investment decisions. If someone wants to con the husband, the wife is not at hand to blow the whistle, and vice versa. In some instances, the man is the decider. He does not listen to the wife. Many homes are in pain financially because the husband refused to heed the wife’s warning. The power derived from the synergy that comes with the oneness in mind and spirit is lost as each goes solo.

Some spouses take it to a whole new level by playing ‘away’ matches, joining themselves to strange men and women outside the matrimonial home. Nothing devastates family finances like marital infidelity. Sometimes the consequences are not immediate so many are tempted to think they have gotten away with it. I have heard many sad stories of many that are lying in the bed of sorrows in their old age because of unfaithfulness to their spouses – broken vows and leading to broken lives due to lack of integrity. Quite often the man or woman is left alone, retired (or business in shambles) and broke, abandoned even by their new partners.

In God we trust

On paper, Nigeria is arguably the most God fearing nation on the planet going by the number of people who call on God and go to places of worship. In reality, we are arguably one of the most corrupt. Corruption is not Nigerian but we call on God before commiting the deed. There seems to be a lack of alignment between who we say we are and what we do. It means that spiritually, we lack integrity. We call on God but do what the so called ungodly would not do.

There is a disconnect somewhere, and this has had devastating consequences especially in our finances. Corruption has virtually brought us to our knees and wrecked our economy. We have become poor children of a rich God. We work so much but bring in so little. Famine and lack is often a symptom of closed heavens. If you look at unspoiled nature, it brims with abundance. The animals do not lack. Of all God’s creation, only man has the unique ability to create lack out of abundance. You cannot achieve financial freedom through managing lack. You can cut your coat according to your cloth, but if the cloth keeps shrinking, it will soon tear. You need increase and the ability to manage it. Both should go side by side. If after you have done everything humanly possible, the supply side is drying up rather than growing, then you may need to check the integrity of the spiritual aspect of your life.

Integrity in business

I deal a lot with artisans and small business entrepreneurs and it is an interesting experience. Friends who visit my house often ask who did this or that aspect of the finishing. I often tell them I can give them the contacts but they are using them at their own risk. I do not recommend them. There are some I have recommended, and they were given more jobs which gave rise to more contacts and more jobs. Apart from doing a good job, integrity will make room for you. I have noticed that my worst experiences have been with people who call on the name of God at the drop of the hat. My black list of artisans is filled with people who do bad jobs or cheat but ‘love’ the Lord. I am almost tempted to take to my heels anytime an artisan mentions God. It is a very sad state of affair.

These same artisans will complain that they are not getting business. People will sell substandard products and expect no spiritual consequences for false measure. Some go as far as instructing the manufacturer to lower the standard. Many homes have been damaged by electrical fires caused by substandard products. If you are known for selling quality products at the right price, people will come back to you after they have got their fingers burned somewhere else. It is only a matter of time. If you have integrity, you will always win. You only have to be patient.

The annoying thing about honesty is that it does not pay immediately. If you sell good quality things, some people will run away from you because of the price. If you fix the price of your goods or services and refuse to negotiate, you will annoy many. Most people enjoy it when they are allowed to negotiate the price. If you are a man or woman of integrity, people will eventually know you for who you are and prefer to deal with you rather than negotiate dishonest prices or fees.

Lack of integrity brings instant results, which is why many people patronise it. If you want to win long term, you need to do the right thing. Knowing what to do is not enough. You need to be a man of integrity. You may not win tomorrow, but if you stick with doing the right thing, your ascent to the top will be steady, and when you get there, you have what it takes to remain there.

For questions, comments or enquiries, you can contact me at usiere@gmail.com, www.financialfreedominspiration.com. Follow me on twitter @usiere, 08106788187 text only, BBM C002B2697