Tip: If you tell the truth, you will never have to remember what you said!
Tip: If you tell the truth, you will never have to remember what you said!
The title of this Tip is something that I am sure most of us have heard many times. The first person who ever said it to me was my father.
Most of us had parents who tried to instill in us the importance of telling the truth. When I was growing up, I asked my father what he meant when he often told me that if you tell the truth, you will never have to remember what you said. He explained, “The human mind is designed to remember events as they actually happen. When you are involved in a situation and tell the truth about it, if time passes and you are asked about the same situation later, your mind will recall the truth about what happened at the time of the original event. If, however, you have not told the truth, you will have to also remember exactly what you said so that you can recall that same story next time. And, the more lies you tell, the more confused you will become because your mind will not remember which lie you told nor to whom you told it. It becomes a very complicated issue. If you simply tell the truth, you will never have to remember what you said and it will be easier to always recall what actually happened.” That made a lot of sense to me then and it makes a lot of sense to me now.
The basic foundation and premise of any relationship is truth. If a person is not honest in their dealings with others, then it is only a matter of time before their friendships, business deals or relationships begin to unravel. A friend of mine has often said that honesty is actually the oil in every relationship. When two people are honest with each other they stand a better chance at having a more successful relationship.
Many of us have seen someone on a news report lately who has been caught telling two or three different stories. It is not long before that individual’s greatest challenge becomes remembering which story is actually true. The sad part is usually everyone else sees the truth long before the one actually telling the lie will ever admit to it. If they had only told the truth in the first place they wouldn’t be confused or have to remember what they said!
The older I get, the more I value simplicity and stability. Nothing brings those wonderful qualities into my life more than simply being open and honest in telling the truth. It keeps my mind and conscious clear and clean.
Some of the most painful, gut-wrenching experiences I have ever had in my life have occurred when I discovered that someone had told me a lie. It was hurtful for me and for them as well. And I am not lily-white in this area myself! I have also told some “whoppers” in my life and I have seen the damage they cause. It just isn’t worth it! I now see it would have been much easier if the truth had been told to start with rather than ultimately facing a painful lie.
Life is too short to hurt yourself and others. Be wise and tell the truth. You will always be glad you did.
Tip: If you tell the truth, you will never have to remember what you said!
Have a great week! God bless you!
Dr. Robert A. Rohm
Personality Insights, Inc.
DiscoveryReport.com
RobertRohm.com
