Most of us at one time or another have been misunderstood by those
who are important to us. They thought we planned to take an action they
disliked when in truth our intentions were to proceed in an entirely
different direction. Such misunderstandings are usually quickly righted
and life goes on. The same is true with character and reputation. If
your reputation is for some reason misaligned with your character, it
will soon quickly right itself when others discover for themselves that
you are not at all the kind of person they had assumed you were.
If your foundation is strong, you never need to be concerned about such
misunderstandings. Others will learn soon enough what kind of person you
really are. Spend your time and energy in constant self-inspection and
self-improvement, building strong character, and you will never have to
worry about what others think of you, or fear what others think.
You want your reputation and your character to match, but concentrate
on your character. You may be able to fool others about the kind of
person you really are for a time, but it seldom lasts for long. The
surest way to make sure your character and your reputation are the same
is to live your life in such a way that nothing you do would embarrass
you if it were printed on the front page of the newspaper. Good
character means not ever taking ethical shortcuts, even though everyone
else may be doing so. You build good character by doing the right thing
because it’s the right thing to do.
Without a strong foundation built on positive character traits,
success will not long endure. It is virtually impossible to fake good
character. Phonies are quickly spotted because they haven't the
substance and determination to maintain the charade. Developing good
character begins with a positive attitude. Your desire to be a good,
decent, honest, considerate person must first take place in your mind.
When you make the decision to become a person of character, you will
also find that you are much more willing to do the right thing simply
because it is the right thing to do.
