Reputation Is A Rather Vague Concept And Most People Claim Not To Pay Attention To It. What Is It Really?
Reputation Is Linked To Our Need To Belong
Whether we like it or not, we are all influenced by our awareness of our reputation. The simple fact of having friends or receiving the esteem of our family leads us to pay special attention to our reputation. It may be a more or less distorted reflection of who we are with a slight delay since it is based on our past actions. For security reasons, a group must control its members. Reputation is an important piece of information about the individual for the group to which he belongs. It can increase or decrease the prestige and therefore the value of the group. The more elitist the group, the more difficult it is to enter it and the more one must have an excellent reputation to be part of it.
Reputation Is Alienating
We control our actions and thoughts, but we don’t have complete control over our reputation. In some cases, ill-intentioned adversaries can work to sully our reputation beyond our control. Because it is distorted from who we are, reputation is alienating and we must be careful not to give it more importance than our actions and the reality of who we are.
Control What You Can Control
It is true that we have an influence on our reputation through our actions. Trying to directly control your reputation through communication campaigns is illusory (unless you have a lot of money to spend or you are a politician on the campaign trail). In the rest of the cases, it is much better to focus on what we have a real influence on: our character. Character is the product of our habits, that is, our actions and thoughts. It can be shaped over time and has a direct impact on our reputation. By making conscious and well-considered choices, we can improve our character and thus ultimately improve our reputation.
Reputation Is Your Sparring Partner
In some cases, you could use your reputation to improve yourself. You could act in a way that tarnishes your reputation. In doing so, you would create pressure on your shoulders to act differently and correct your reputation. In a way, you are using the hint to your advantage. Conversely, you could use the reputation to encourage a certain behavior. If you behave well, you will receive validation from your group that will encourage you to continue in that behavior.
Reputation To Choose To Accelerate Your Goals
When you want to achieve a particular goal, you can choose to get closer to the group that is used to achieving that type of goal. For example, imagine that you want to become muscular. In this case, it is in your best interest to become friends with bodybuilders. To join this group of friends, you will have to fulfill the condition of having a better reputation in the field of bodybuilding. Maybe it’s having a developed musculature? In this case, it is the chicken and egg problem and you will have an easier time joining a group that is in the process of building muscle even if its members have not yet reached their ultimate goal.
The Value Of The Group
By developing a certain reputation, you will be able to facilitate your integration into groups. The power of groups is multiple: – You will gain access to secrets that are not necessarily shared by everyone – You will receive positive pressure that will encourage you to take actions that will help you achieve your goals – You will receive support and advice in difficult moments, i.e. those that will make you want to give up for example – You will constantly progress towards your goal at the risk of being ejected from the group
The Negative Effects Of The Group
The main negative effect of the group is that it can also develop defects like drugs do with their side effects. If we take the example of bodybuilding, it is possible that the group of bodybuilders is characterized by a form of vanity and arrogance or that they have a disdain for reading sentimental books, which can retard your development in other areas.
