INTEGRITY & COMPASSION W/JASON FRENN

Season 5 of the Cultivation Podcast continues with words to live by and this week’s episode see Tom joined by guest Jason Frenn. Jason takes his experience as an international speaker and author to share his insight on the meaning of “Integrity and Compassion”.

Integrity is a firm adherence to a code of moral or artistic value; unimpaired condition or soundness; quality or state of being complete or undivided.

Jason says he defines integrity means doing the right thing when no one is watching. What is your attitude, what are you saying, what are you watching, what is going through your heart, what are your choices when no one is around?

Tom goes on to add that part of the human condition is we have all broken our integrity, but part of getting integrity back is owning it. Jason explains that to do that you need a framework of right and wrong, so that when you break your integrity you own it and ask for forgiveness or you opt to skirt that responsibility. By asking forgiveness, it reestablishes that trust for people to see you as a person of integrity. 

Tom adds that it comes down to that we accuse others of what we would do in that situation based upon our integrity or lack thereof. The more we own our broken integrity, the more trustworthy we become and the more we trust others. 

Compassion is defined as sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress and intentionality of alleviating. 

Jason notes that compassion is about having empathy on those that suffer. He explains that when we coach or lead people towards transformation and become too sympathetic, we start feeling the same impossibilities they feel. Sympathy should be understanding others’ struggles and not being governed by the problems that constrain them.

Tom says fulfilling his purpose will bring joy and energy into other people’s lives. That journey gives compassion for other people’s struggles in finding their purpose. Jason’s work as a speaker serves people via teaching others to discover the “Golden Thread” — what you were wired to do with your God-given gifts — as opposed to following your passion. 

Tom takes it a step further to note that passion can be seasonal, passion has to be stoked. But leaning into your giftings and talent will awaken your purpose and compassion.