Riding the waves of life with integrity as your surfboard
Tara Rogers-Ellis
I help business leaders cut through complexity to get things done. Working with CEOs and their teams globally to turn challenging transformations into clear plans and real-world impact.
Integrity has been a guiding principle in my life. It’s a concept that resonates deeply, shaping decisions and interactions in ways both subtle and profound. This weekend I came across Martha Beck’s book “The Way of Integrity,” and her vivid metaphor of integrity as a surfboard captured my imagination.
She expanded on this image to suggest that integrity is not just an abstract ideal, but a tangible tool we can use every day to navigate life’s ups and downs.
Having grown up next to the Indian Ocean with a strong surfing community, I loved picturing this: standing on a beach, the vast ocean of life stretching before us. Waves of varying sizes roll in — some small ripples, others towering swells. These are our daily challenges, our joys, our sorrows, our triumphs. And there in our hands, or better yet, beneath our feet, is our surfboard, our integrity.
Integrity, at its core, means being whole and undivided. It’s when our beliefs, words, and actions align. Like a surfboard, integrity provides stability and direction. It helps us glide over the ripples and brave out intimidating waves.
In practice, our integrity surfboard serves us in countless situations. When we face a difficult decision at work, it’s our integrity that keeps us steady. When a loved one needs a hard truth, our integrity gives us the courage to be honest yet compassionate. In moments of self-doubt, it’s our integrity that reminds us of our true north.
These moments of imbalance, uncomfortable as they are, serve as valuable reminders. They prompt us to realign with our core values, just as a surfer adjusts their stance to stay on the board. Each wobble is an opportunity to strengthen our footing and refine our technique.
Surfing requires balance, and so does living with integrity. We constantly adjust, shifting our weight as circumstances change.
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We all wipe out sometimes. We make mistakes, act against our better judgment, or find ourselves compromised. The key is what we do next.
Integrity isn’t about perfection. It’s about consistency and the willingness to get back on the board. When we acknowledge our missteps and recommit to our values, we strengthen our integrity. Each time we stand up again, we become better ‘surfers.’
Like any skill, maintaining integrity takes practice. We can strengthen our ‘surfboard’ through daily choices. Regular self-reflection helps us understand our core values and check if our actions align with them.
Integrity is built in moments, through small, consistent choices rather than grand gestures. Practicing honest communication, even when it’s uncomfortable, reinforces our integrity. When we ‘wipe out,’ analyzing what happened and how to do better next time turns mistakes into valuable lessons.
Our ‘surfboards’ are unique to each of us, shaped by our experiences, values, and aspirations. The more we use them, the more natural it becomes.
The goal isn’t to avoid all the waves or to ride them perfectly. It’s to stay true to ourselves as we navigate them, finding joy in the ride and growing stronger with each passing swell.