Marcus told himself that when someone wrongs us, the wiser move is to look first at our own faults, the things we chase, the ways we slip, before judging theirs. It's far easier to spot a flaw in someone else than the same one in ourselves. This isn't harsh self-criticism. It's a kind of honesty that keeps you humble and softens your judgment of others. When you remember your own stumbles, the person who annoyed you looks less like a villain and more like a fellow traveler. Working on your own character is the one improvement project fully within reach, and it tends to quiet your complaints about everyone else.

Inspired by the old idea of character over reputation. Written by Ugo Charles.