So much depends on reputation-guard it with your life...48 laws of power! If you don't live by any quotes , then i suggest you consider living by this one. Long before I knew there was such a thing as the 48 laws of power, this is one of the things I have understood through observation of others , how one bad decision can affect how others view you and tint your image for life. Usually when people refer to reputation, you know you are about to hear of unthinkable scandals nothing positive or uplifting, things that will leave you in utter disbelief. a legacy on the other hand is a timeline of all the positive in pact you have made in the world and in the lives of all those you have come in to contact with... It is said that what ever we do in life follows us wherever we go, now this is not solely for bad decisions, even the good that you plough in the world you will one day harvest.
One of life's tragedies is that you can work your whole life to build your brand so to speak, and you slip once and do something thoughtless and that one thing will become your new identity, I don't know who comes up with these rules but that is how society works and how I have come to understand it. This came to mind after the passing of Jackie Selebi, people had a lot to say, mixed reactions from all fronts, one of the leading newspapers said that he had a mixed legacy. He was lauded for all the good he had done throughout his life in his personal capacity but mostly in his professional life. His fall from grace was also widely documented, to give a balanced view of who the man was, or what he later represented...corruption, lies and deceit, his fall from grace had tongues wagging for months.
It was during this past week that I was reminded just how priceless and valuable ones reputation is, how we must take care in ensuring that we always carry our self in a manner that will be pleasing to us, when we hear a stranger who doesn't know us at all talk about us. I remember when we were growing up there were people I had heard of and didint know personally or what they even looked like, but their reputation preceded them, by the time you meet the aforementioned person, you have drawn all sorts of conclusions about them, and sadly some times they don't even get an opportunity to dispel the lies or to redeem themselves, they now have to prove to others that they are not who they used to be, and we all know how forgiving human beings can be ones you have wronged them, a camel stands a better chance passing through the eye of a needle.
Social media has given us front row seats to peoples lives, when you are caught in a compromising position, it goes viral immediately, and if you lucky your embarrassing moment may just make the front page of a leading Newspaper, for everyone to see and judge. There is always someone out there looking,paying attention, taking notes, munching screens, recording whatever it is you are doing when you think no one is watching, waiting for an opportune time to bring you to your knees and wipe that smile off your face. Yes we are humans fallible and prone to make mistakes, we are not perfect, there is always room for err, with that said I believe we all have a responsibility to ourselves as well as those personally tied to us to ensure that we always try to carry ourselves in a manner that will not bring us or them shame and embarrassment. To be conscious of the fact that human beings are out to judge most of the time and will only seek clarity later, and not before they have blown everything out of proportion. To try and always be a true representation of how we see ourselves in our minds eye, to not contradict what we say with what we do.
This sound like a lot or you can take it as an attitude adjustment of sorts, aligning your thoughts with your behavior and being conscious of the fact that others my not always see you how you see yourself, and checking to see if what you are presenting to the world is exactly what you want to portray. Words are powerful tools but they don't compare ti behavior, the actions of a person will linger long after you have forgotten what they said to you, this is why forgiveness is sometimes a difficult concept to practice, and how it is not always easy to excuse the excuse of a person once they have wronged you.
I believe a good or bad reputation is by product of ones character, your character, (which can be easily explained as the person you are at all times even when no one is watching) sets that tone for the kind of reputation you will have, who people think you are will be affirmed or dispelled by your reputation...with that said ensure that you always portray , the true essence of who you are and bear in mind that whatever you put out there will always come back to you, whether good or bad, so live consciously...
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