The Most Important Thing to Understand About a Person

You’re most likely familiar with the story about the scorpion who asks the frog if he can hitch a ride on his back in order to cross the lake. Assuring the skeptical frog that he won’t sting him because “If I did, I would also drown,” the frog relents and agrees.

Partway across the lake, the scorpion does sting him. As the frog is dying and about to sink them both, he asks, “Why would you sting me knowing that you’re now going to die, too?” The scorpion famously replies, “It’s just my nature.”

Inspired by Aesop, this brief, well-known fable serves as a warning that, logic aside…

Key Point: People generally act according to their nature or *character.*

Scorpions sting and kill because that’s simply what scorpions do.

As humans, we do what we do because of who we ARE.

If we are a liar, we tell lies. If we are honest, we tell the truth. If we are undisciplined, we break promises we’ve made to ourselves. If we are disciplined, we show self-control.

Back to the scorpion. We all know those *human* scorpions, don’t we?

Perhaps this scorpion deals dishonestly in business. You can bet he or she also deals dishonestly in their private life. I’ve seen very few exceptions to that principle. As the saying goes, “How you do anything is how you do everything.”

Whether you know this about a person either personally or by reputation, you probably won’t want to associate with them, and you certainly won’t want to do business with them.

Then again, there are the exact opposites of such...

Life’s Gems: The “Reverse Scorpion” is that man or woman who is totally and completely honorable, who does as promised, who stands firm on principle, and who always makes their win about the wins of those they deal with.

This is the person whose character is so high and so honorable — and his or her reputation the same — that you totally and absolutely trust that person to do right by you and everyone else involved.

And, they do!

Why?

Because...it’s who they are. So it’s what they do.

It’s just their nature.

Today’s Exercise: Think about the “Reverse Scorpions” you know and/or know of. Consider the traits that make them such, both in character and in reputation. Then determine how you can emulate that — both for your own growth and success, as well as for those in your life you are helping to do the same.

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