One quote my dad loved was, "For every one person that fails because of ability, nine fail because of a character mistake."* The first time I heard this, a chill went through me. I knew I had many character flaws. Would one leak out, destroy my career & even my life?
Every caregiver is haunted by such worries. Even though everyone has character flaws, most professionals can minimize or correct mistakes. Sometimes, just one can cause ruination.
The single ruination mistakes always baffles me. How can Will Smith turn from long-admired to outcast in seconds? One outrageous mistake: The slap of Chris Rock. Smith's apology has not healed the slap to his reputation.
Quotes can seem to clash: Successful people always say: "Make mistakes. That's how you grow." I tell clients: It's how you react to your act.
Sure, we must befriend our difficult partner, Courage . What about his powerful opponent, Unfairness?
You have likely never heard of Gary Hart. A successful, handsome, Colorado Senator, Hart was a leading candidate for the 1988 Democratic Presidential nomination when he was caught in an affair. Although separated, Hart was pilloried & quit his campaign.
Only four years later another candidate was hit with sequential worse charges: Bill Clinton. Why did Hart's error kill his campaign while Clinton not only won but served twice as President & survived impeachment?
The reasons do not matter because our core point is different. We are told that failures of career, marriage, or character do not define our worth. Lucky for Donald Trump.
How can we best react to our acts? By remembering we are all children of God. Grinding loss can shake that memory. God's Love is our salvation.
-Rev. Erie Chapman
Photo of Gary Hart by Kenneth Zirkel, 1987
*author unknown
