This Element is an excerpt from Winners Never Cheat: Even in Difficult Times (ISBN: 9780137009039) by Jon M. Huntsman. Available in print and digital formats.

No moral shortcuts: understanding the real meaning of character--and why it is the only route to sustainable success

Which rules we honor and which we ignore determine personal character, and it is character that determines how closely we will allow our value system to affect our lives. Character is most determined by integrity and courage. It’s how you act when no one is watching. These traits, or lack thereof, are the foundation of life’s moral decisions....