Norton: When ego and pride get in the way of truth and grace
There’s an old, humorous saying: “Never let the truth get in the way of a good story.”
If you’ve ever spent time with a great storyteller, you know the charm in that line. A little embellishment here, a touch of drama there, it’s part of what makes a story entertaining. But these days, it’s getting harder to tell the difference between a storyteller adding color and someone deliberately bending the truth. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could?
Former British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli once quipped: “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” Comedian Steven Wright followed that up with a laugh of his own: “42.7 percent of statistics are made up on the spot.” Funny, yes, but it also hits close to home. We’re living in a time when opinions are sold as facts and fabricated “data” spreads faster than the truth ever could.
And here’s the heart of the issue:
When ego becomes more important than truth, pride makes grace impossible.
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Think about that for a second.
We’re surrounded by noise, fake news, misinformation, exaggerated claims, and finger-pointing. Much of it is fueled not by honest mistakes, but by ego: the need to be right, to win the argument, to protect an image or position at any cost. And when pride drives the conversation, truth and grace don’t stand a chance.
That line about “never letting the truth get in the way of a good story” stays funny only until it starts doing damage. Once a false narrative takes hold, those who spread it often double down rather than admit they were wrong. It’s rare these days to see someone say, “I missed that,” or “I was wrong,” or “I’m sorry.” Those simple, humble phrases take real strength and a willingness to choose grace over ego.
The problem goes deeper than just a few loud voices. There are people who feed off the chaos, addicted to the conflict, outrage, and division it creates. They thrive on the noise because it distracts from truth and replaces curiosity with combat. And before we know it, that noise starts shaping how we see the world.
But here’s the good news, and there’s plenty of it.
There are still authors who write with integrity, journalists who verify before publishing, podcasters who value truth over clicks, and community voices who use their platforms to build up, not tear down. The good news is that we know who these people are. Deep down, we can sense authenticity when we hear it, just as clearly as we recognize when something doesn’t ring true.
Zig Ziglar was one of the wisest men I had the privilege of knowing, working for, and traveling with. He is credited with changing 250 million lives, and that number continues to grow even after his passing. Zig shared his simple philosophy from the stage many times over when it came to this topic. Zig would say, “Every day I wake up, and I read the newspaper and the Bible; this way, I know what both sides are up to.”
That line, delivered in only a way that Zig could deliver it, would get the intended laugh from the audience, followed by a hushed understanding of what the message really meant.
Today, we have a choice. We can turn down the volume on negativity. We can curate our news feeds, our conversations, and even our own thoughts to focus on truth, kindness, and grace.
When we do that, when we refuse to let ego or pride get in the way, we create space for something better: forgiveness, mercy, laughter, and love. We make it possible to raise our children and grandchildren in a world where honesty still matters and integrity isn’t optional.
And that’s the world worth striving for.
I’d love to hear your thoughts at gotonorton@gmail.com. Because when we stop letting ego and pride block the path to truth and grace, it truly becomes a better-than-good life.
Michael Norton is an author, a personal and professional coach, consultant, trainer, encourager, and motivator of individuals and businesses, working with organizations and associations across multiple industries.
