“By being honest in our lives, we build trustworthiness and integrity with our family, friends, co-workers…”
According to Wikipedia, Honesty refers to a facet of moral character and connotes positive and virtuous attributes such as integrity, truthfulness, and straightforwardness, including straightforwardness of conduct, along with the absence of lying, cheating, theft, etc. Furthermore, honesty means being trustworthy, loyal, fair, and sincere. At Partners Advancing Character Education (PACE), the definition for this months “Character Trait of the Month”, Honesty is easily defined as “sincerity and reverence or love for the truth”.
Why is honesty so important? That answer seems easy, right? Being honest is the right thing to do. We have all heard the famous Benjamin Franklin saying, “Honesty is the Best Policy”. By being honest in our lives, we build trustworthiness and integrity with our family, friends, co-workers, etc. We even hold ourselves accountable. But why is being honest difficult for some?
In the mortgage industry, honesty is sought after in many ways. Whether it is a loan officer applying or renewing their professional licenses, or a borrower completing a loan application, there are laws and regulations in punish dishonesty. Loan officers are trained to recognize possible dishonesty and ask questions to uncover a reason to be concerned with an applicant or not. The Federal Trade Commission implemented the Red Flags Rule which requires many businesses and organizations to implement a written Identity Theft Prevention Program designed to detect the warning signs – or red flags – of identity theft in their day-to-day operations.
As a parent, honesty becomes even more important as raising children who are honest is vital to shaping their character and setting them up for success. Trust is the foundation of a strong family, yet trust is built from consistent honesty. Relationships survive on each person being honest to each other. Have you ever been dishonest for personal gain only for that poor decision to come back around to bite you? These experiences in life are humbling, right? We are reminded how important being honest 100% of the time paves the way for stronger relationships, personal and professional.
So, how do we help do our part to build honesty in our community? That answer is easy! Be Honest. Then, support organizations that place value on educating and supporting the same. PACE is a grassroots initiative to promote the importance of good character through partnerships with schools, businesses, public agencies, residents, faith-based organizations and community service groups. Working from a common list of monthly character traits, partners promote and integrate each trait into the regular activities of the organization. Consider supporting PACE by becoming a partner or Friend of PACE.
Bryan Jarrett joined Envoy Mortgage from the insurance profession where thousands of his clients trusted him to insure their assets. He became a loan officer for Envoy Mortgage – helping countless families find the right loan program that fits their needs. He believes in being a professional that values integrity, honesty, and thoroughness with each customer he assists.
Jarrett lives in the Spokane area and enjoys camping, hiking, skiing, and cheering on his local football teams with his wife Tamara and son Roman. He has served on numerous community Boards such as the EWU Eagle Athletic Association, GSI’s Education Roundtable, PACE, and the International Trade Alliance to name a few.
Jarret has created a “School Employee Discount Program” designed to lessen the burden of cost associated with obtaining a home loan or refinance. He believes that School Employees are a vital component of a strong community and deserve discounts from local vendors.
