There is a quote by John Wooden that I read in a book that said, “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.”
Who you are, what your doing and where you are going is what you are held accountable for, not others opinions of you. This quote reminded me of something Paul said in Galatians 6:4-5,
“Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. For we are each responsible for our own conduct.”
When you are not doing much with your life it is easy to look around and see what other people are doing or not doing. Judging them on how you would do what they are doing, even though they are doing something and you are only dreaming of doing something. The trick to get out of this judgment seat, is to get up out of it and create the things you have been cultivating.
When all your time, energy and focus is on seeking, cultivating and creating, then all your time, energy and focus is directed on realizing your own potential. When we leave the spectator’s box and step into the field of life, we become one of the players instead of one of the audience. A player’s perspective has a totally different vantage point then a spectator’s.
A player is focused on what he or she specifically needs to do and how to get better to achieve their goals. While a spectator only makes comments and criticisms on what other people are doing.
If your life was a movie, you should be the main character. Don’t waste yours in the spectator’s box, live it on the field of life. Get focused on what you need to do and do it!