Honesty Quotes
“Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters.”
-Albert Einstein
“The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is.”
-Winston Churchill
“Peace if possible, truth at all costs.”
-Martin Luther
“Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth.”
-Henry David Thoreau
“Honesty is often very hard. The truth is often painful. But the freedom it can bring is worth the trying.”
-Fred Rogers
“Authenticity is a collection of choices that we have to make every day. It’s about the choice to show up and be real. The choice to be honest. The choice to let our true selves be seen.”
-Brené Brown
“Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.”
-Thomas Jefferson
“Truth is the only safe ground to stand upon.”
– Elizabeth Cady Stanton
“Honesty is always the best policy.”
-George Washington
“By and large, language is a tool for concealing the truth.”
-George Carlin
“If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.”
-Mark Twain
“I believe there’s an inner power that makes winners or losers. And the winners are the ones who really listen to the truth of their hearts.”
-Sylvester Stallone
“The object of the superior man is truth.”
-Confucius
“The goal of education is the advancement of knowledge and the dissemination of truth.”
-John F. Kennedy
“Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain’t goin’ away.”
-Elvis Presley
“No man has a good enough memory to make a successful liar.”
-Abraham Lincoln
“Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.”
-Buddha
“Truth is the property of no individual but is the treasure of all men.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Half a truth is often a great lie.”
-Benjamin Franklin
“I never did give anybody hell. I just told the truth and they thought it was hell.”
-Harry S. Truman
“Integrity is telling myself the truth. And honesty is telling the truth to other people.”
-Spencer Johnson
“There are only two people who can tell you the truth about yourself – an enemy who has lost his temper and a friend who loves you dearly.”
-Antisthenes
“I meant what I said and I said what I meant.”
-Dr. Seuss
“No legacy is so rich as honesty.”
—William Shakespeare
How can you use Quotes?
- Start a discussion: Quotes can start a discussion about a character trait at the beginning of a meeting or the dinner table. You can ask questions about what it means, how they have seen the trait demonstrated in their own lives, or how they can develop it themselves.
- Provide a model: Quotes can provide a model of good character. When you read a quote from a famous person or historical figure, you show that people they admire also value the same character traits.
- Use quotes as writing/journal prompts: Ask them to write a short essay about a quote to help them think more deeply about its implications for their lives.
- Post quotes: You can post quotes where they will be seen/heard often – classroom, breakroom, lobby, dining room, email signatures, video bulletin boards, morning announcements, social media, etc.
- Read quotes aloud: You can read quotes aloud to your children during mealtimes, bedtime, or any other time you spend together.
- Make it fun: You can make it even more fun by incorporating games, activities, or crafts. Let children decorate signs with the quotes to hang in the classroom or a bedroom door. Record children saying it and post it on social media.