We have all heard of successful people (think movie stars or sports celebrities) that appear to have the world by the tail; youth, good looks, fame, fortune, talent. Their futures shine brightly and yet they continue to dim their own light and often publicly embarrass themselves by less than superstar behavior. Drugs, drunkenness, promiscuity, physical aggression and very un-sportsman-like behavior, often keep them in the public eye more so than their achievements in their chosen fields.

Why would they risk everything they have going for them in favor of stupid behavior? Because they think they are above the law, or larger than life? Maybe that's the case for some of these so-called celebrities. For others it is simply because they have not developed a strong personal foundation.

What is a personal foundation? It is very much like the foundation that supports your house or the building you live in. It is the support structure that holds everything together and keeps it standing tall and straight. The base building blocks, or roots of your character.

What do you value in life most? What would you do to attain it or keep it? Why is it important to you? Your personal foundation building blocks lie in the answers to these questions.

When we know our own values and priorities in our lives, and have taken the time to think through our ultimate desires in various areas of life, such as personal development, business, relationships, health, fitness, financial, spiritual etc., we strengthen our own foundation, and all the building blocks come together to form our personal integrity.

When storms blow and attempt to weaken our foundation, we can make choices that support us toward our ultimate goals and stand strong, rather than get carried away with the wind.

To feel good about ourselves we must act in our own best interest, honoring our personal values, standards and boundaries, even if it sometime means walking the high road alone, while everyone rides the bus downtown.

Our values are that on which we place a very high importance, while our standards indicate a gauge or measure of that which meets our expectations, or not. Our boundaries mark an invisible line that divides our level of comfort from discomfort. The discomfort is what we feel when someone else has crossed our personal boundaries or the discomfort we feel with ourselves when we have crossed our own.

To know oneself, our own values, personal standards and boundaries are the underpinnings of our lives. When we develop a strong personal foundation and become clear as to where we stand regarding our personal integrity, our actions tend to follow accordingly.