Very honest and insightful Mary.  I wrote about integrity in our book The a Character Based Leader.  Your post reminded of one of the key points - Integrity is an aspiration!  We will never be perfect.  And as you point out the works can be a great mirror for just how well we are living into that aspiration.

You have me thinking about what promises I a am truly making to myself.  It's clear some things will remain daydreams, at least for now.  The litmus test between the two is whether or not I am honoring the promise in my actions vs wishful thinking about it.

By far the best way to keep me true however to to make a promise in the world that will pull for me to honor that promise to myself no matter what.  I could do a better job of keeping promises to myself but I've discovered the reality for me is I will always do whatever it takes to keep a promise to someone else.  When I connect the two everyone wins!