Two Groups

Posted on April 02, 2010 by Ronald T. Brown, Ph.D.

Be careful of your thoughts, for your thoughts become your words;
Be careful of your words, for your words become your deeds;
Be careful of your deeds, for your deeds become your habits;
Be careful of your habits; for your habits become your character;
Be careful of your character; for your character becomes your destiny.

Character is not something you can fashion overnight; it must be earned and proven over time – built brick by brick, through the weeks, months and years of life.  As James A. Froude 1818-1894 wrote, “You cannot dream yourself into character; you must hammer and forge yourself one.”

How strong is your character?  What comments do you think your friends are making about your integrity? Where would family members see cracks in your integrity?  What habits and behaviors in your life have you kept hidden through the years, hoping no one will find them out?  And the most important question to ask yourself is “Do you really believe maintaining your character and integrity is of primary importance?”  If so, why?  If not, why not?

If you do

not

believe protecting your character is of critical importance, then I challenge you to consider people you personally know who consistently compromise their integrity.  What kind of fruit is their life producing?  Personally, I do not know of one person who has lived a life of compromise who has also maintained a long-term, happy, and growing marriage with their spouse; who currently has the deep respect of their adult children; or who is admired as a role model of success by their peers.

While no person is perfect, we can divide mankind into

two

major groups.  One group realizes their frailty, are aware of their personal vices, and are on a lifelong journey to manage and correct those breaches of integrity in their living.  The second group is also on a lifelong journey.  But their goal is to forever hide and cover up these breaches as they continue to indulge in their vices and addictive behaviors – hoping never to be found out.

I have spent time in both of these groups, and know from personal experience that when we choose to hide and indulge our vices, we are forced to spend so much energy protecting ourselves from being found out that inadequate energy and creative power is left to pursue our true calling as a leader.  So we are forced to choose.  Chase our vices, or chase our dream.

So as a leader, make certain you carefully watch over and protect your inner soul and integrity.  Fully embrace the fact that you first need to

be

the right kind of person, and

do

the right kinds of things, before you will excel in reaching your God given potential.  Guard your character.  Be a person others can trust.  Plant seeds of integrity wherever you go and you will eventually reap a bountiful crop of personal respect, success, and satisfaction.