Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Makes Up Your Moral Compass?Signs of a Strong Moral CompassBenefitsWhat Does It Mean to Lack a Moral Compass?Tips
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Makes Up Your Moral Compass?
Signs of a Strong Moral Compass
Benefits
What Does It Mean to Lack a Moral Compass?
Tips
Close
Your moral compass essentially helps you distinguish between what’s right and wrong, saysKristin Wilson, LPC, CCTP, Chief Experience Officer at Newport Healthcare.
Your moral compass plays a significant role in your life. It can guide the way you work, the way you respond when you’re asked a question, the way you react to asituation, or simply the way you go about your day-to-day life.
For example: Do you leave your campground clean or littered with trash? Do you lend your neighbor your footstool or claim you don’t have one? Do you blame a mistake you made at work on your colleague or take responsibility for it?
This article explores the signs and benefits of a moral compass, factors that influence your moral compass, and strategies to help you develop a strong moral compass.
These are some factors that can influence your moral compass, according to Wilson:
Kristin Wilson, LPC, CCTPMoral compasses aren’t fixed constructs—they may change as we face new experiences in life, gain knowledge, or cope with hardships. Therefore, everyone’s moral compass is unique.
Kristin Wilson, LPC, CCTP
Moral compasses aren’t fixed constructs—they may change as we face new experiences in life, gain knowledge, or cope with hardships. Therefore, everyone’s moral compass is unique.
These are some of the signs of a strong moral compass, according to Wilson:
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Benefits of Having a Strong Moral Compass
These are some of the benefits of having a strong moral compass:
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Without a moral compass, you may simply act per your own convenience, without taking into consideration what’s better for others or society as a whole.
People who lack moral compasses can be difficult to deal with because they often make decisions that will negatively impact those around them, says Wilson.
Research also shows thatpsychopathicpeople, who often have antisocial or criminal tendencies, tend to lack a moral compass.
Tips to Strengthen Your Moral Compass
These are some strategies that can help you strengthen your moral compass.
Review Your Beliefs
Your moral compass is comprised of your beliefs,principles, and values. It can be helpful to reflect upon them and evaluate them from time to time, to ensure your moral compass stays strong.
Seek Out Diverse Perspectives
Often, we rely only on what we know to guide us. However, our perspective can sometimes be limiting.
Developing a morediverse, inclusive, and holistic worldviewcan help you be more compassionate and strengthen your moral compass.
Practice Empathy
While we always consider how our actions will affect us, it’s equally important to consider how they affect others.
Putting yourself in someone else’s shoes and seeing things from their perspective can help you understand how your actions might affect them. This can help you be moreempathetictoward them and guide your behavior toward them.
Act Upon Your Intentions
While your moral compass is a guiding light, it’s important to follow through and act upon your intentions.
For instance, even though you might be tempted to turn in an assignment late and make an excuse to your manager, it’s important to get it done on time if you value punctuality, reliability, and trustworthiness.
Correct Your Mistakes
Your moral compass evolves over time, as you encounter new information and experiences. If you find something you once believed was mistaken or misguided, don’t be afraid to correct yourself. Admit yourmistakes, apologize to people you’ve hurt, and learn from the situation.
Even if you were mistaken before, correcting yourself can help you strengthen your moral compass and feel at peace with yourself. Being stubborn and refusing to accept that you might have been wrong can be as harmful to your mental well-being as it is to others’.
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6 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Bennahum DA.Moral compass in the care of patients who choose aid in dying.Camb Q Healthc Ethics. 2020;29(2):327-329. doi:10.1017/S0963180119001117
Ramos AM, Griffin AM, Neiderhiser JM, Reiss D.Did I inherit my moral compass? Examining socialization and evocative mechanisms for virtuous character development.Behav Genet. 2019;49(2):175-186. doi:10.1007/s10519-018-09945-4
Vithoulkas G, Muresanu DF.Conscience and consciousness: a definition.J Med Life. 2014;7(1):104-108.
Donnellan JJ Jr.A moral compass for management decision making: a healthcare CEO’s reflections.Front Health Serv Manage. 2013;30(1):14-26.
Marshall J, Watts AL, Lilienfeld SO.Do psychopathic individuals possess a misaligned moral compass? A meta-analytic examination of psychopathy’s relations with moral judgment.Personal Disord. 2018;9(1):40-50. doi:10.1037/per0000226
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