RECOGNITION

Competence brings respect for what you do.
Character brings respect for who you are.

We all want to be recognized and respected for what we do but people are more likely to value our friendship because of who we are. Our reputation is the result of what we do, whereas our Character is the result of who we are. If your character were a tree, its shadow would be your reputation. Both matter, of course, because who we are drives what we do, and what we do changes who we are. Just keep in mind that people are like bags of tea. You don't know how strong they are until you put them in hot water. And if you want to see their character, give them power. Sow a thought, reap an act. Sow an act, reap a habit. Sow a habit, reap a character. Sow a character, reap a destiny. The links below are a Twighlight Zone episode about a professor who thinks he has wasted his entire life. As he removes a gun from his desk drawer, students from his past begin to appear, like ghosts, to remind him of the difference he made in their lives. Watch how their recognition changes his life.

Professor Fowler Part 1 Professor Fowler Part 2