The Cost of Lying: Building a House of Cards
- Tim Thürnau
- Dec 10, 2024
- 3 min read
Every lie you tell is a brick in the house of your own downfall—eventually, it all comes crashing down.
Hello friend,
Let’s talk about lying. Not the little white lies we tell to avoid awkwardness, but the big picture: what happens to your life when you get comfortable twisting the truth? Sure, lying has its perks—it can get you out of trouble, manipulate situations, or smooth over conflicts. But here’s the thing: every lie you tell comes with a cost. And that cost might be higher than you think.
The Problem with Living a Lie
Lying feels powerful in the moment. It lets you control the narrative, dodge consequences, and maybe even get what you want. But here’s the uncomfortable truth about lying: every time you twist reality, you train yourself to see the world inaccurately. It’s like building a map of your life that’s riddled with fake landmarks. Sure, it might look good on paper, but when you try to navigate, you’re constantly getting lost.
Worse still, lies create obstacles you’ll trip over later. A white lie becomes a bigger lie to cover the cracks. Eventually, you’re stuck in a maze of your own making, wondering why the world feels like such a mess. The truth? You’ve built a house of cards, and it’s only a matter of time before it collapses.
How Lying Corrupts Your Judgment
One of the scariest things about lying is how it affects your ability to trust yourself. Every time you tell a lie, you’re planting false information in your own mind. Over time, this builds a filter between you and reality. The result? When you need clarity—when you’re alone with a tough decision and no one else to rely on—you can’t trust your instincts. They’ve been distorted by the lies you’ve told.
Why Honesty is the Harder—but Better—Path
Let’s face it: lying is the easy way out. It’s a shortcut. But shortcuts rarely take you where you want to go. Honesty, on the other hand, requires effort, courage, and a willingness to confront the messy truth. It’s uncomfortable, yes, but it’s also the only way to build a life that’s solid, trustworthy, and real.
When you tell the truth, you’re not just being honest with others—you’re being honest with yourself. That kind of alignment is rare, but it’s worth everything.
How to Wing It
This week, take inventory of the little lies you tell—whether to others or yourself. Pick one and replace it with the truth. Start small, but be consistent. Watch how it shifts your perspective and your relationships.
Final Thoughts: The Truth Will Always Find You
Here’s the bottom line: lies might buy you time, but they also buy you trouble. Living honestly isn’t about being perfect; it’s about being real. And while that might be harder in the short term, it’s infinitely more rewarding in the long run.
Until next week, keep winging it—and remember: truth is the foundation of everything worth building.
Bridging Worlds
If you want to see me wing it, I do a podcast with cool people. You should subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or YouTube.
What does it take to rethink the way we live and work? This week, I had the pleasure of speaking with Lea Mishra, Co-Founder and CMO of POHA House. Drawing on her experience of living in six countries across four continents, Lea has dedicated herself to creating sustainable, inclusive co-living spaces that meet the needs of a globalized world.
One thought from Lea that stood out:
"Our housing hasn’t evolved in a hundred years, yet our lives have changed drastically. It’s time to create homes that reflect the way we live today—flexible, community-driven, and built for modern lifestyles."
In our conversation, Lea opens up about:
The personal and professional challenges she faced building POHA House from an idea into a reality.
Why she believes in blending co-living and co-working to foster real connections.
Practical lessons for leaders and entrepreneurs looking to innovate in uncertain times.
This is an episode for anyone curious about the future of housing, rethinking traditional spaces, or taking bold steps toward building something meaningful.
I’d love to hear your thoughts—what do you think housing and community will look like in the next decade?
Don’t miss this conversation with Lea — tune in on Friday! Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.
Keep winging it, and I’ll see you in the next one.
Big love,
Tim