I believe that one should focus on their character rather than worrying about others' perception. Dale Carnegie said it best when he professed, "Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.” Carnegie’s message describes the philosophy I struggle to live by.
I have grown up as a somewhat normal middle class girl; going to church on Sundays, earning high grades in school... the usual. I am surrounded by privileged people, who I love, but in this society there are too many pressures to live materialistically and simply for me instead of considering what is inside.
The topic of character is very intriguing to me because I value my faith very much and strive to live for good, a goal much like Benjamin Franklin's for moral perfection.
Although this seems a simple ambition, basic human insecurity gets in the way. I think everyone wants to believe in this philosophy. They claim to have it down because it's a straightforward goal for all good-natured people, which most of us are. The challenging part is we want so much to look like we don't care what others think that we focus on that instead of our own identity. For me, being a teenager has been apart of this struggle because it's a period of time where I begin figuring out who I truly am. Character is important in this journey in order to get a good result.
Developing myself internally allows me to achieve goals later in life. I aspire to be a great friend, maybe a writer, and generally a leader in all I do. Leaders must be secure in their integrity no matter what in order to guide others in a positive direction. That is what the world needs.
I believe every one of us should better ourselves before thinking about what others presume we are to be.
Sincerely,
Anna
