Examine for a minute what goes on in your head when you're tempted to behave contrary to your right/wrong beliefs. First, there's sort of a tremor of excitement as you imagine you could do the deed and no one would be the wiser. It seems that the concept of "getting away with it" might be almost hypnotic. This is a point where any rational contemplation or consideration does not occur. Consequences do not seem to enter into our decision making.

Assessing the cost to your self regard does not enter into the situation either. There never seems to be a "fast forward" into what could potentially happen if the action is discovered. The thrill of committing a transgression free of observation seems to be the primary motivator itself. It's almost as if a delusional state sets in that imagines a thrill of shocking others about discovery. Who is ultimately being "fooled" here, ourselves or others? In the end it is ourselves we delude.

What does it look like to choose to behave in agreement with our beliefs? We do not look outside ourselves for the ultimate approval of others. We look inside ourselves to be guided by our own beliefs. We choose not to succumb to the titillating temptation to "get away with it". We can coolly assess that tendency as a hubristic belief that we are too important to conform to what we imagine are the codes that guide lesser mortals.

We must believe we are too "special" to follow the norms. This is a wrong headed perversion of reality. Again, it puts the guidance for our choices outside ourself. The [email protected] time you are tempted to do something simply because you can get away with it - reconsider.