You live in a world surrounded by liars.

This might sound dramatic, but it’s a tough fact you’ve grown used to. Lying is commonplace and completely surrounds you.

It can range from lying about who broke a precious object to why you can’t make that party with a work colleague you don’t enjoy hanging out with. Sometimes it’s to safeguard a saucy secret from prying ears, or maybe to protect yourself from being embarrassed by others. Maybe it’s even just a white lie to avoid hurting someone you care about?

It’s not admirable, but still understandable. In these situations, the lies seem harmless enough, so the thought that it might be misleading to misinform other people barely even registers in your mind!

Using this logic, how can you trust others to have your best interests at heart?

How can we trust everyone at face value, when we’re all competing for that top spot of success, and need to stand out against everyone else?

Most recently, the idea of fake news has become more prevalent; can you trust any information at face value when there are so many sources lying for their own personal gain?

The truth is out there somewhere, but it feels hidden and obscured. It might feel easier to lie to yourself and to others than put the work in to actually finding something real.

What’s worse, with the rise of social media and everyone shouting their opinion around you, the lies only get bigger and bigger. Alternative facts prey on you through the spread of misinformation.

They play on your cognitive biases, curling around you like a snake, constricting you by telling you what you want to hear, until eventually it’s too late to realise you’ve been ensnared by a trap!

When you face constant pressure to stand out, lying, or tweaking the truth, can be an easy out. Of course, there’s only so far that the fake-news-until-you-make-news strategy works. It’s ultimately better to live your truth, own your skills and not cut corners to get what you want!

Lies will always disconnect you from others. If you take the path of lying about yourself and what you do, how can you possibly trust someone else when they come to say the same thing?

Stay informed and authentic.

Find ways to always put that first step forward in creating an honest, trustworthy environment. Coming together with other people to build honest and lasting relationships is ultimately the best path towards your personal success.

This blog is one of a series of reflections on “The Spiral Staircase” a personal emotional tracking and management tool which is part of “The Key to Business and Personal Success” by Martyn Pentecost. Find out more here.