You will eventually face a decision where doing what you believe is right will cost you. Time, position, progress, accesssomething you don’t want to give up. And in that moment, you will consider adjusting your standard. You will think about how to justify it. You will look for language that makes the compromise seem reasonable. That is the moment that defines what kind of person you are.
Principle
Your values are only real if they hold under pressure.
When a value only applies in comfortable situations, it is preference, not principle. Pressure forces a choice between convenience and consistency. The choice you make does not reveal what you believe. It reveals what you enforce.
Application
Use this test before you act:
- State exactly what you are trying to get.
- Identify what you would have to compromise to get it faster.
- Ask: If someone did this to me, would I accept it?
If the answer is no, do not proceed.
You already know the cost. You are deciding whether to ignore it.
Limit / Cost Where This Breaks
This will slow you down. You will lose opportunities that others take. You will frustrate people who optimize for outcomes. You will be told to be more flexible.
If you value clarity over approval, hold the line. If not, do not call it a value.