We’ve all known people who chase attention — some for good reasons, others for purely self‑serving ones. Attention can draw a crowd, but respect will build a legacy.
Attention is cheap. Anyone can get it by being loud, dramatic, or compromising their values. But it fades as quickly as it arrives.
Respect is expensive. It’s earned slowly through consistency, character, and competence.
Knowing which one you value says everything about your integrity. It takes real self‑confidence to resist the lure of attention and stay grounded in what’s best for you, your colleagues, and your organization. It’s better to be overlooked for being authentic than celebrated for being someone you’re not.
Once you trade respect for attention, the cost is steep:
· Dependence: You must keep performing to stay relevant.
· Reputation damage: People may look at you, but they won’t look up to you.
· Loss of credibility: Respect, once lost, is hard to recover.
Self‑respect acts as a filter. When you prioritize it, you naturally distance yourself from people who only value you for what you provide or how you entertain them. The attention you do receive comes from the right people, for the right reasons.
In leadership and business, attention without respect creates notoriety — a liability. Respect creates authority and influence — the foundation of a sustainable career.
Don’t be seduced by applause or empty praise. Be the person who respects themselves and others. Be proud of that and get noticed for the right reasons today.
Melanie Lee Robbins (born 1968) is an American author, podcast host, and lawyer. Robbins gained recognition for her TEDx talk, 'How to Stop Screwing Yourself Over'.
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