𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬. 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥.

At one point, I was running two projects for the same client: one fixed-price, one time-and-materials. On the fixed-price project, we had badly underestimated and ended up spending far more hours than budgeted. On the time-and-materials project, I couldn’t deliver the full number of hours we had agreed on.

The easy thing would have been to shift some of those “extra” fixed-price hours into the time-and-materials budget. On paper, it would all balance out. The client would never have noticed.

But I didn’t. I credited the hours back instead. Because integrity, for me, means not bending agreements to suit my situation, even when the numbers look tempting.

I think most people want to do good in the world. And many of us, if we’re honest, also do good because it feels good. I’m no exception.

Psychologists call this the 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐦 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭: that quiet satisfaction when your actions line up with your values. It’s not about being perfect or selfless. It’s about the joy and steadiness that comes from knowing you acted in line with your compass.

For some, their moral compass is religion. For others, it’s spirituality. For me, it’s a set of principles I’ve carried with me. It makes daily decisions easier, and it definitely helps me sleep at night.

A bit ironic: running a data company, but being guided more by emotions than by ratios.

Still, I think this is what keeps me consistent, in my work and in life. Doing good, feeling good, and staying true to my compass. Not perfect, not heroic. Just… steady.