"Be more concernedwith your character than with your reputation.
Your character is what you really are while your reputation is merely what others think you are.
" -John Wooden.
Wooden was correct about something in that statement.
Your reputation is merely what others think you are.
Unfortunately, reputation runs the world, not character.
There are plenty of talented, good willed, highly skilled, moral souls in the world.
Sadly most of them never get any recognition in life even with all of their good character.
Your reputation is what guides your success.
Maybe some people aren't looking for high degrees of success and recognition.
This article wasn't written for you.
Character isn'tthe building blocks of reputation.
Only deeds are.
Many a coward, liar, cheat and thief have gained enormous recognition in this world.
They gained in through their exploits and feats.
If you want to create a powerful image it doesn't take a million bucks.
It does take attention to detail.
Being in the right places, being in the company of the right people, and looking a certain way all play a part in that.
Reputation is based on perception.
The people with the biggest reputations are the people who've mastered painting the strongest public perception.
You can be a quiet, meek coward in your private life and a flashy Casanova in public.
It's more than possible if you work on craftingyour image.
In 1993 K.
Anders Ericsson of Florida State University published a landmark paper that distinguished the factors involved in greatness and mediocrity.
The main factor that separated greatness from mediocrity is deliberate practice.
"For example: Simply hitting a bucket of balls is not deliberate practice, which is why most golfers don't get better.
Hitting an eight-iron 300 times with a goal of leaving the ball within 20 feet of the pin 80 percent of the time, continually observing results and making appropriate adjustments, and doing that for hours every day - that's deliberate practice.
" - Forbes Magazine.
Greatness andimage share a direct corollary.
They both must be shaped over an extended period of time.
Your image doesn't change overnight just as one doesn't become great overnight.
But using greatness as a corollary does provide an excellent platform concerning how to craft ones image.
You can read more in part 2 of How to Create a Superstar Image on a Budget.