I am a rather simple person who relies on a few brief and succinct rules that get me though my day and life. At around nine or ten I was taught and understood the Golden Rule (Do unto others as you would have others to unto you ). That guidance worked very well in my youth, but it did not seem concise or sufficient to me as I got order as it ignored the fact that much of life is about making awkward trade-offs. How you are perceived by others, the reputation you earn, and how you balance short-term and long-term consequences of your choices, to me, left the Golden Rule wanting.
As my career progressed, my reputation became the metric that I used to mediate many of my choices. One’s reputation takes years to cultivate; are you becoming the person you want to be and remembered as? So, my revised rules for life became:
You reap what your sow.
Or
What goes round, comes around.
Either advice is essentially the same, they remind me of the consequences of my actions. I set in motion reactions and effects that will come back to reward or haunt me. People and life seem to have an amazing memory: what I do does seem to rebound back on me.
These mottos are generally framed in the negative, implying that bad deeds will plague the doer with unfortunate outcomes. However, it is the positive possibilities and rewards of doing good that excites me. Mindfully doing ethical and kind deeds, will, over time, mature the habit and natural inclination to have integrity and compassion. Being aware of the reputational rewards of your actions keeps the long-term in focus which is a useful moral compass.
Acquiring a reputation for integrity, fairness and willingness to help others ABSOLUTELY does incline others to treat you in a similar manner. It also makes you more open to receive kindness from others. Yes, sometimes your kindness is not reciprocated, or you are taken advantage of, but this is very much the exception.
Being fair and equitable to others is empowering and it does pay significant dividends. Plant the seed of your integrity and reputation early and often, it will define you later in your career and life. The rewards are immense (and make your eulogy more kindly and gentle).
Reflection Source: www.Smallercup.org
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