God, this post was incredible, Ryan.

I think you’ve more than adequately summed up, for me, what I believe sets me apart from a lot of people. My integrity has more value than anything monetary. People may not believe that, but I know it’s true.

But it wasn’t until reading this post that I really understood what kind of life/business I’m building. That money is great and the bottom line needs to be thought of, but how you go about it matters more. It matters because if you’re not accountable to yourself, then what are you doing? It matters because the things you do when nobody is looking are the things that define you. And the things you do when you think you won’t get caught also define you. Both are formative. Both are terribly important.

That’s my two cents.

Skipping and skimping and cutting corners will get us in the end. It’s like building a house. If the foundation is off level by even a fraction of an inch it won’t matter now. But it will in 50 years.

I think we need to be reminded that we’re building more than resumes – we’re building legacies. While they can be ruined in an instant, they can never be constructed as quickly.

Every decision matters and reflects upon us, our values, and our identity. Choose wisely, my friend.

First, I love that you found an opportunity to plug that book. Though I suspect I’ll be picking it up after I finish the 5 un-read books already on my shelf, and of course Re-work.

Second, I think you’re right in that it’s probably virtually impossible not to have missteps along the way, missteps that will inevitably lead to negative repercussions sometimes, but I think there’s a difference in trying to do what’s right, and being completely cognizant of the fact that you’re attempting to take a short cut to achieve something that probably isn’t as important as integrity in the large scheme of things.

Hope things are going great for you at Fleishman!

I say this in an effort to demonstrate that even those people that may appear to be operating with integrity as they grow their business, may be blind to the negative ripples they create. It is a rare individual that can operate with complete moral security and still succeed in business, but those people serve as inspiration for years to come.
.-= Jake Rosen´s last blog ..The Importance of Social Media Club =-.

I completely agree. Too many people seem to be focusing on doing as little as possible while taking as much as they can.

What ever happened to personal excellence and doing your best work just for the sake of the work? Isn’t excellence enough?
.-= John Bardos -JetSetCitizen´s last blog ..Frequent Flyer Miles Hacking: Tips and Tricks to Fly for Free =-.