Character predicts your future

Many years ago, I worked in the music industry in New York City. Then I left.

Fifteen years later, I came back to New York and met with many of the people I hadn’t seen since then.

Every single one of them had ended up about where you’d expect, based on their character.

The disciplined ones had succeeded. The temperamental ones had flamed out. The ones who’d acted like leaders were now leaders. The ones who’d blamed everyone else for their lack of results were still doing just that.

It didn’t matter where they were before. What mattered was the direction they were headed. Some people had been unpaid interns at the bottom of the ranks, but their determination and smart approaches had led them to the top. Some had been famous or successful but seemed so fragile or combustible, and yep — they’d come tumbling down.

Character isn’t fate or destiny. Character isn’t DNA, decided before birth. Character is the result of your little choices and little actions.

How you do anything is how you do everything. It all matters.

Your actions are completely under your control, and seem to be the best indicator of future success.