Practice making principle-based decisions. The practice will keep you consistent, reliable.

When you are asked a question – frame your response around your core principles and then answer the question within the framework of the principles.

Loyalty might be one of your principles. If you are asked to betray a friend, then your loyal principle will help you get to a principle-based answer.

Honesty might be one of your principles. If you are asked to lie about something, then your honesty principle will help you answer truthfully.

The principles that govern your behavior are just words if you aren’t courageous enough to stick to your principles when the pressure is on, or when you have something to lose. We are seeing this happen in the current political climate where politicians lack the courage to adhere to their principles. That’s why people applaud so much these days when we see a CEO or politician stands by her principles even when it’s not in her best interest. That takes courage. Without courage, you’ll end up compromising when it matters most.

Courage is rightly esteemed the first of human qualities… because it is the quality which guarantees all others.  – Winston Churchill