21st September 2025
In Life, sports, business, politics, the emphasis today seems to be too often on reputation.
The mantra of our times is “What will they think of me?”
Choices are often based upon how it will appear and not whether it aligns with our own personal virtues.
Reputation is what others think of you and character is what you know you are.
Reputation is the shadow, character is reality.
Character is the root, reputation the fruit.
Reputation opens the door, character keeps it open.”
Character is like the solid foundation and frames of a house built to last.
The reputation is just the finished product that people see from the street.
Just like the facade of a house in a movie set, people can have a reputation that looks beautiful from the outside yet proves to be a shell when you open the front door.
So the lesson is to make a life long practice of building character.
How do we do that? Here are a few thought exercises that will help you to get refocused on character:
> Write down your most important life values. What ideas, people, or causes are more important to you than any other?
> Imagine your future 100-year-old self comes back in time to visit you. What would your future self tell you? How would your future self tell you to live today? What would your future self tell you is most important?
> Imagine you are on your death bed. What actions and legacies would you be most proud of?
> Imagine you are able to observe your own funeral. What would you want your family to say about you? Your friends? Your work colleagues? Your community members?
Your answers to these questions will begin to reveal a picture of your virtues and the ideal character you want to live up to. Your own clarity will allow you to make better decisions on a day to day basis.
This process of identifying and more importantly living your character and your virtues is a lifelong journey. Even the best of us won’t come close to living perfectly. But, does that mean we should not try?
Build Character, reputation will follow & stay blessed forever.