Reputation vs. Character
Everyone is excited about the super-bowl game this coming weekend. All eyes are focused on the two quarterbacks - how they are handling the pressure and how each of them is preparing for sunday. Peyton Manning has had so many things said about him in the past, chiefly, he can’t ever win the big one. Rex Grossman has been dubbed, ‘the worst quarterback in super-bowl history’. Each of these quarterbacks are handling the media frenzy with class and dignity. The stories of both of these quarterbacks can teach us a lot when it comes to how reputation and character can shape personal experiences.
Reputation is simply what people think about a thing or person. Character is what the thing or person really is. When it comes to human performance therefore, character is the bedrock of achievement. Reputation is what precedes a thing while character is what outlasts the thing. Both Peyton and Rex have a great opportunity this coming weekend to stamp a mark that really clarifies who they are as individuals. Reputation changes but character does not. Reputation is like the shadow of a building. It moves in different directions throughout the day. Character on the other hand is like the building itself. It forever stays the same.
Today, I’d like to encourage you to be more focused on your character rather than your reputation. Your character will outlast your reputation.
