Character vs. Reputation

What kind of decisions have you been intentional about or maybe not so intentional about?

Growing up I was always told to be careful with my decisions because they would influence my reputation. This definitely was helpful advice because my reputation was how people saw me, right? I knew that even if one person saw me do something that was not in line with my values and the values of my family that could "get around" and people would see me differently. Wait! Should I really be focused on how other people see me? Maybe, maybe not.

Reputation is really like an outfit, the outside. Character is the body, it can change, but not so quickly. Ultimately, character is developed from the inside out and reputation is looked at from solely the outside. What I have found is if I want to feel good about myself and who I am at the core, I should focus on character.

Character can be defined as "what one is characterized by." This means if you are always late, that is a reflection of character. That used to be me, anyone else? I have found that if I focus on my character, the core, a reputation that I am proud of will also be the result.

If you are looking to develop your character, step out and do the following:

1. Clearly define your values and what you want to be characterized by
2. Unpack 3-5 past decisions to see if they are in line with your values
3. Add additional values as necessary
4. Use values to guide day to day decision making
5. Set aside time (daily/weekly) to reflect to make sure your decision are in line with values
6. Add additional values as necessary

This last part is a reminder for myself: Remember I am a human, and I will never be perfect! Don't be too hard on myself as I work to live a value driven life and develop my character. You, amazing readers, knew that already! :)