Our character and reputation will make us… or break us -- in life. Character is what we are -- our private substance. Reputation is what others think we are – our public image.
A reputation is a message about us that grows and travels by word of mouth.
Yet, a reputation is a fragile thing, it can be easily fractured should we compromise on character. Upright character is the only sound foundation for a solid reputation.
The events of daily life not only build character -- they reveal character.
If we do not possess the major ingredient of character – integrity – it is easy to compromise on honesty and truthfulness.
Integrity is an unrelenting demand to do our best every time within the confines of the rules and regulation.
It cannot be achieved in short bursts of doing the right thing to satisfy the whim of the moment. It is doing what is ethically right.... .all the time.
It is not always easy to do the right every time. Don’t let unbridled ambition lead to highly unethical practices.
There has to be an effective compromise with success at a high cost, but not at any cost. The secret is to strive for balance.
One of the most demanding forms of mental toughness is to make decisions we can live with tomorrow, not on what we might get away with today.
Life calls for constant vigilance. It depends on a mindset that is attuned to integrity.
To the very end, we are the sum total of our actions. Integrity cannot be counterfeited. It cannot be put on, and taken off, like a garment to meet the whim of the moment.
Like the markings which are ingrained in the very heart of a tree, integrity is fostered and made evident by what we are on the inside.
The marvel of integrity is that it can be developed and nurtured. It begins with having in mind a clear picture of the kind of person we want to be… then acting every time according to that image.
Listen carefully to these words:
Watch your thoughts for they become words...
Watch your words for they become actions…
Watch your actions for they become habits…
Watch your habits for they define character…
Watch your character for it establishes your destiny.
