What’s on your permanent record?

You know the record your parents and teachers warned would follow you for the rest of your life.

While your parents and teachers were probably leveraging the threat of your permanent record to keep your behavior in line and to ensure you paid attention to your grades, the thing they weren’t telling you about was your reputation.

As you continue down the path of adulthood, you soon realize that all the attention to grades and GPA begins to matter less and less. However, your reputation becomes more important, to the point where it begins to precede you.

Now I’m not suggesting that paying attention to academics is not important in specific contexts. But I firmly believe that eventually, the kind of person you’re known as will be much more significant.

So, what kind of person do you want to be known as?

Once you know how you want to be thought of, you can get to work building and ultimately retaining a good reputation. Think of your reputation as your personal brand.

Notice that I’m not telling you the kind of reputation you should strive for, and that’s because it’s your decision. I’m just shining a light on the fact that many people forget that they have the opportunity to craft their reputation.

I must add that I can’t write about reputation and permanent records without addressing the era of digital ubiquity. In today’s day and age, where your digital footprint is an inextricable part of your reputation, you must be aware of your actions both in real life and online. So, proceed with caution.

So, think about the person you want to be known as, and act accordingly. Because eventually, your reputation will be the most important thing on your permanent record.

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