Once upon a tall tale
When I was about 7 years old, one of my classmates kept us enthralled with stories of her family’s wealth, big mansion, gold bathroom, and toilets too! Some years later, in high school, I met her again, while visiting a relative. I was so excited to see her, I asked if she stayed around, she did.
Turned out my dear classmate’s famous mansion, was a 1 bedroom apartment all along. I was so shocked I couldn’t say anything. I found my vocal chords much later and told every single old classmate I could find!
It is a normal human desire to be concerned about how we look on the outside and there is nothing wrong with that. Where it gets really critical is when we worry more about how we look on the outside than how we really are inside.
In high school and college, most people spend so much time defending their ‘Rep’ that they would do just about anything to maintain it. Ever watched GREASE?
Sadly it isn’t just a school ‘thing’. It’s the same in the work place, social circles, and in some families.
Your reputation comes from what others believe about you on the outside. Your character represents who you are on the inside.
Retired General Norman Schwarzkopf said “Ninety-nine percent of leadership failures are failures of character.” So are ninety nine percent of all other failures.
- Do you focus too much on competence and too little on character?
- How often does a person miss a deadline because he didn’t follow through when he should have?
- How often did you get lower grades in school just because you didn’t study as much as you should have?
- How many times have you chosen less worthwhile activities over investing in your personal growth?
Here are 2 facts to note about Character:
- The inside influences the outside – As we think in our hearts so we are – proverbs. What we do or neglect to do in the privacy of our daily lives impact who we are. It’s impossible to be rotten inside and keep it in for so long. Regardless of how much expensive perfumes you use, sooner or later you will start to stink. The reverse is also true. No matter how much ‘dirt’ is thrown on you, if you smell really beautiful on the inside sooner or later your beautiful fragrance will fill the outside.
- Our inside development is totally within our control – When you fail to see the right character choices within, you give away ownership of yourself. You belong to others and to what whatever gains control you. This puts you in a bad place. You can never reach your potentials and become who you can be if others are making your choices for you.
