Character Vs Reputation

Character Vs Reputation

"worry about your character and not your reputation , because your character is who you are white your reputation is only what people think of you"  by John Wooden. 

While agreeing with this popular quote, I would also like to point out a few things about this issue.. Character Vs Reputation.  

It sometimes can be confusing to really draw the line between these two. Sometimes , what people think of you might be different from who you truly are. You might have experienced this in some way or the other...let's take a general everyday scenario that we all might have experienced. While meeting some new friends,

"Hello. please meet so...so.  The other person might be like ; yea, I have heard a lot about you...In someone's mind...okay, this had better be good...hahaha. Well, you can say your reputation proceeds you and it had better be good *smiles*. Now, what the stranger / new guy has perceived about you is your reputation.  

Thank you dictionary! Character is the aggregate of features and traits that form the individual nature of some person or thing. Character is also an account of the qualities or peculiarities of a person or thing.  Reputation on the other hand is the estimation in which a person or thing is held, especially by the community or the public generally. Again, thank you dictionary! * smiles *

Let me share a true life story please. 

While in the university, he was dating this lady way older than he was. The first day he went to visit her in her office, he was well received and they also had a quickie...* clears throat *.  While he was about leaving she gave him #5000 ( five thousand naira) . Of course, he was happy! While leaving the office, someone was coming to see her. Her EX who though was married, wanted to get her back...hmmm. But as the story goes, while her EX was leaving, he left with one of her phones unknowingly to her. So, the search for the phone was on and this younger uni guy was the prime suspect! Yes, who would think that a well to do EX would take her phone from her office?

Everyone was pointing fingers at the guy and he admitted he had to follow them to go the extra mile to a witch doctors house who after so many incantations, found him innocent. He proved everyone wrong! Initially, she called her EX about it and he denied picking up the phone.  Finally, after the exercise at the witch doctors place and the other guy found innocent, all her thoughts diverted to her EX though with a big  fat doubt! The lady put a call to her EX, this time explaining where she was because of the phone. Then, he admitted that he took it just to get her attention....and so the story goes.  

So, I asked the guy why he went that far to prove his innocence knowing that he was actually innocent? Well, he was angry about the false acquisition and it supposedly seemed obvious that he had the phone. Everyone aware of the issue was pointing fingers at him he said. So, to clear the doubts, he followed them to justify himself. Finally, she apologised to him send made up for the inconveniences caused. Of course. the news spread that he was innocent. Years later, he met the lady...this time she was married and she remembered that singular event and really appreciated his efforts once more. That's what character  can do for you ! She also spoke highly of him as she talked with friends at the function....now, that's a good reputation for him!   

The challenge is that sometimes, there might be a mismatch between your character and reputation. It doesn't just fit or align and in fact, it  might be very different ! So, "A" can sometimes be represented or  perceived as "B".  "A" is the character (kind of) and "B" is the perception.  

Character is who you are! The real you! The traits you posses. The characteristics you have even when no one is looking at you.  Reputation is the representation of who you are. What the outside world feels about you. 

Reputation sometimes might come from what the person might have about you. what people say about you or even the impression you have created on people's mind. Whether this might be good or bad, the good news is : you can always get better in terms of your reputation and this is very important!  

Reputation is your selling point and that might translate into the value placed on you. You might be a very wonderful product inside, but if poorly represented , you'll make no sense and even when you try to, it might just be a shadow of yourself.  On the other hand, if you have a bad product but a good representation, you'll sell I guess! People will buy...more or less ( at least before they discover the rubbish in you *smiles*). So you see...good reputation gives you the opportunity to be truly discovered while a bad reputation might just do the exact opposite...now that isn't pretty for anyone at all! So yes, let's try and build up good characters and also make efforts to have a good reputation. Personal development should be the watchword remember?  

Thank God is Friday . Please, let us apply this in our dealings and seek to get better on that stuff that isn't exactly good. It can be anything like not keeping to time / appointments. Let's think of ways to overcome that challenge that doesn't tell the best stories about our real great self * smiles *. Let us build good virtues and try to showcase the good virtues for the world to see and be positively  affected.   

Remember to send in your stories at mygpland@gmail.com. Please share, subscribe and send in your stories too. Many thanks !

Signing out 

Gpland