Your morals are easiest to praise before life asks you to use them.

Moral positions are easiest to hold before they are used. Stated in the abstract, they cost nothing and reflect well on you, which is why almost everyone has a set of admirable ones. The moment life actually requires one, the picture becomes far more complicated and much more informative.

Rather than judging yourself or others on stated values, watch for the occasions where they get used. And when one of yours is about to be tested, notice how quickly the exceptions start suggesting themselves. That noticing is often the difference between holding the position and quietly revising it.