Having principles is not enough.

Prioritize your self-awareness between having principles and living principles. Everyone has principles. Is that what counts? No, not really.

A principle in name is only marketing. A principle in action is what matters. Having principles might feel good, but it’s only by living principles that we do good. That’s what counts. That’s the intent and purpose of principles in our lives, our teams, and our relationships.

Put any of your own principles through this basic litmus test:

1. Live it daily.
2. Live it when I’m tempted not to.
3. Live it when others around me don’t, especially when the majority don’t.

Self-awareness is the first step. Any principles you have but don’t live will be sources of disruption for you and people in your network. Decide what to do when you find those in yourself: live them or lose them.

Everything is training for something. Do the work.