“The most important thing for a young man is to establish a credit — a reputation, character.”

“Many a man's reputation would not know his character if they met on the street.”

“Once I establish credit, I may be able to function. A man needs credit. Especially when he has no money.”

“Your reputation is in the hands of others. That's what the reputation is. You can't control that. The only thing you can control is your character.”

“Character is what you are. Reputation is what others think you are. The reason that some fail to climb the ladder of success, or of leadership if you want to call it that, is that there is a difference between reputation and character. The two do not always coincide. A man may be considered to have sterling character. Opportunity might come to that man; but if he has the reputation for something he is not, he may fail that opportunity. I think character is the foundation of successful leadership.”

“A man is what he is, not what men say he is. His character no man can touch. His character is what he is before his God and his Judge; and only himself can damage that. His reputation is what men say he is. That can be damaged; but reputation is for time, character is for eternity.”

“Worry more about your character than your reputation. Character is what you are, reputation merely what others think you are.”

“But yet he was reputed one of the wise men, that made answer to the question, when a man should marry,—A young man not yet, an elder man not at all.”

“Be more concerned with your character than with your reputation, for your character is what you are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”

“When you are young, there are many things which appear dull and lifeless. But as you get older, you will find these are the very things that are most important to you.”