The Patchwork of Life: Do you Like What You’re Making?

“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.” ― John Wooden

What I love about this quote is how it breaks down the difference between character and reputation.

I enjoy doing pre-call interviews with my potential interview guests. Most of the time, the conversation usually begins by them telling me about what they do. It’s always a great way to get to know a person as an ice breaker, but what I’m really interested in is who the person “really” is. I want to know why they chose to do what they are doing. Is this something they are passionate about? What in life put them on this path?

What I have come to realize, our job title may change but who we are inside doesn’t change too much. When I went to an Oprah event many years ago, and I remember her sharing the idea of an invisible thread. She shared that we can’t see the thread unless we take the time to reflect and look back on our past. What the invisible thread represents to me is our desires, our beliefs and our values. The invisible thread is what ties all of life’s events together.

I know change is not easy but it is doable. One of the most impactful books on change I read was Stephen Covey’s “The 7 Habits of Effective People.” In the book, he asked you to picture guests at your funeral and have you think of what they would say about you. He was encouraging readers to think with the end in mind. That was pivotal for me. Listing out what I wanted people to say about me made me reflect on the kind of impact I wanted to have on people. It made me think about what I was focusing on.

Here’s my takeaway: You are the co-creator of your life, you have the right to create the kind of life you want, and you can change if you want to.

I would like to leave you with a few questions to reflect on: Are you on the right path? Are you happy with what you are creating? What would you like to change? What do you want people to say about you at your funeral?

In case you have not read Stephen Covey’s “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People“, I am including an Amazon Affiliate link to purchase the book: https://amzn.to/3ifkjIV. Definitely a must read for those on a personal development journey!

Quote Source: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/character