When you show up, who and what do people get?
When you arrive to class, punch in for your part-time job, or show up at practice for soccer or band or debate, what happens? Are you the one who shows up on time, who does the little things without being asked, and who finds ways to make the time and the experience better for all involved?
Are you reliable? Can you be trusted? Do you always find a way to come through? Or are you the one who rarely steps up, who seems disengaged, or who accepts the opportunity but then always has an excuse why it never got done right?
None of us can or have to be perfect. Some days will be better than others–at school, at work, on the field or the court or the stage. That’s part of learning and growing.
But every time you show up, you’re creating a reputation. You’re saying to people, “Here’s what you can expect from me.” So we get to make a choice. We can let that reputation make itself and hope for the best. Or we can decide what we want our reputation to be and go deliver it.
I’m not talking about creating a fake persona—people will see through that. I’m talking about conscientiously deciding what behaviors you’re willing to engage day-to-day to create a reputation that will make you proud.
Your reputation is created either way. Why not make yours on purpose?