Ways to distinguish yourself – #52 Continue to gain respect from people close to you

One of the questions in a recent interview was “What is your yardstick of success” and I remembered the above sentence and that was my answer to the question.
(Disclaimer: It’s not me who coined this phrase but I don’t remember who said it first)

Think about that for a second. Most of the time it’s easy to impress
someone who you met recently. They don’t know you and when they get to
know you for the first time – what do they hear? All your success
stories and achievements and how you are very good at that and how you
are very good at this. Simply speaking you will put your best foot
forward. Since the relationship is only luke warm, there is no
discussion about topics that will make you uncomfortable either. So you
are freely talking.

Now think about people that are close to you. They know a lot more
about you than others. There is no question of you putting the best
foot forward. You can try. But these people know your best and the
worst. So, if people that are close to you have to genuinely love and
respect you, you must be “special”. If you want to continue to gain
respect from people that are close to you, it requires special effort.

Some of the things that come to my mind immediately are:
* You can’t PRETEND to be good; you MUST be good
* You can’t PRETEND to care; you MUST care
* You can’t PRETEND to be honest; you MUST be honest

Of course, there are many more. I am sure you can create your own to-do list to continue to gain respect from people that are close to you.