Thoughts on Excellence Free E-Newsletter Series
Volume 23, Issue No. 5a
December 1, 2024
By Dan Coughlin
In MWD (Merriam-Webster Dictionary) conscience is defined as the sense or consciousness of the moral goodness or blameworthiness of one’s own conduct, intentions, or character together with a feeling of obligation to do right or be good.
Wow, that’s a long and useful definition.
Here’s another less formal definition that I like: your conscience is your inner voice telling you what is the right and what is the wrong thing to think, do, or say.
I think both of those definitions are saying the same thing. An incredibly important part of our essence is an awareness of what is right and what is wrong, and this force communicates to us through an inner voice. It alerts us, and as we move closer and closer to making a final decision and actually moving our thoughts and emotions into words and actions, this inner voice talks louder and louder. Sometimes a person’s body starts to shiver when they are right on the verge of doing what their conscience tells them to do or not to do.
When you pay attention to your conscience, your inner voice, and follow through with what your conscience is telling you is the right thing to think, do, or say, you strengthen your essence. When you ignore your conscience or rebel against it by doing what it is telling you is the wrong thing to think, do, or say, then you damage the health of your essence.
Your conscience inputs within you a feeling of obligation to do right or be good. This is an amazing gift within you. It is not neutral about the decisions you should make. It is strongly biased toward decisions that it thinks are right and good.
One of my favorite quotes is, “A clear conscience is the best pillow.” Your conscience can feel goodness within you and allow you to sleep, or your conscience can feel turmoil within you and cause you to stay up all night as you wrestle with what you’ve done or what you are deciding on doing.
Essential Walk Questions for You to Consider
- What do you think your conscience is telling you this week about what is the right thing and the wrong thing to think, say, and do?
- What are you going to do based on what your conscience, your inner voice, is telling you?
Republishing Articles
My newsletters, Thoughts on Excellence, have been republished in approximately 40 trade magazines, on-line publications, and internal publications for businesses, universities, and not-for-profit organizations over the past 20+ years. If you would like to republish all or part of my monthly articles, please send me an e-mail at dan@thecoughlincompany.com with the name of the article you want in the subject heading. I will send you the article in a word document.