I read a blog this morning titled “20 Things I’ve learned as an Entrepreneur” by Alicia Morga.  Great advice, all of it, but I was particularly struck by #1: It’s rare when someone is their word; treasure it in others and cultivate it in yourself.

This immediately brought to mind Mahatma Gandhi’s “Be the change you want to see in the World”.

Continuing down the list, I also noted the (ever present) “Perception is reality – you’re always creating an impression” (#13).

We work in an immediate world these days.  Often, we send an email on impulse that we may later regret.  We are constantly accessible with our smart phones and our social media applications.  At some level, we have set aside the importance of consideration, patience, and truly thinking before we speak or act.

As business owners, we need to build that time back into our routine.  Often, our customers, clients and employees look to us and make decisions about our character based on our actions.  It is critical that our actions are consistent with our belief systems.

I practice as a part time Chief Financial Officer, assisting my clients with financial strategy, cash flow planning, and other various financial requirements.  If I commit to completing a project by a certain date, I will deliver it on time, period.  I strive for objectivity in the guidance I provide, and I seek to balance my natural conservatism with the need to take calculated risks in order to grow business.  I am honest and hold myself to a high standard of integrity.  These are the character traits that I hold myself accountable to every day – in my personal life as well as my business.

Consider how much you value the people in your life that you can truly rely on, and take a hard look at yourself and your Company.  If you feel that you are coming up short, take heart in that you can always make a change.  Another of my favorite quotes?  It’s a Chinese proverb: “The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago.  The second best time is today.”