Do I get up every morning and ask: am I doing the things that I

Nick Clegg, in a moment of reflection both personal and universal, once said: “Do I get up every morning and ask: am I doing the things that I believe in and am I doing them for the best possible motives? Yes. Unambiguously yes.” Though spoken in the arena of politics, these words carry a timeless echo, for they reveal the eternal struggle of the human soul: to live not by accident, but by purpose, to act not from selfishness, but from principle.

The morning, in his words, is more than the beginning of a day. It is the symbol of renewal, of the chance to recommit oneself to truth. Each dawn places a mirror before us, asking: will you walk the path of your beliefs, or will you wander into shadows of compromise and doubt? Clegg’s answer — “unambiguously yes” — is not only his own vow, but a call to all who would live with integrity. For to live without such questioning is to drift; to live with it is to rise with clarity.

The mention of belief is vital. Belief is not opinion, not fleeting preference, but the bedrock of a person’s soul. It is what one clings to when storms come, what one defends when crowds jeer, what one refuses to betray even when the cost is high. Many men rise each day seeking wealth, applause, or comfort, but few rise seeking only to be true to their beliefs. And fewer still can answer “yes” with the conviction of Clegg’s words.

History gives us noble examples of this spirit. Socrates, who could have fled execution, chose to remain true to his philosophy, declaring that an unexamined life was not worth living. Abraham Lincoln, burdened by war and division, rose each morning asking whether his decisions were guided by the motive of preserving liberty and union, not by convenience. These men were not flawless, but their greatness came from the constancy of their motives and their refusal to betray what they believed in.

Yet Clegg’s words also carry an implicit warning: that not all who rise in the morning ask such questions. Many live without examining their motives, excusing dishonor with ambition, or justifying wrong with the illusion of necessity. In every age, leaders and common people alike have fallen because they ceased to question themselves. The path of destruction begins not with evil intent, but with the neglect of this morning question: “Am I doing the things I believe in?”

The lesson, then, is clear: each person must be both their own judge and their own guardian. Ask yourself daily, before the world makes its demands: Are my motives pure? Are my actions aligned with my beliefs? Am I acting for truth, for justice, for love — or merely for gain, for pride, for fear? To live this way is not easy, but it is noble. For even if the world misunderstands you, you will not misunderstand yourself.

Practical action flows naturally. Begin each morning not in haste, but in reflection. Write your principles, speak them to yourself, and hold them as a shield before the temptations of the day. Test your motives honestly, and if you find them impure, cleanse them with humility and correction. Seek not perfection, but sincerity, for sincerity is the light that will guide you even through error.

Thus, Nick Clegg’s words are more than a personal defense; they are a creed for all who would walk upright in a crooked age. To rise each morning with conviction, to act from belief, to strive with the best motives — this is the way of integrity, the path of honor, the seed of all true greatness. Children of tomorrow, take this truth with you: ask the question daily, answer it truthfully, and live so that your life, however judged by others, is unambiguously your own.