I’d like people to think of me as someone who cares about them.
—Diana, Princess of Wales (1961–97) English Royal, Humanitarian, Peace Activist
Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what God and angels know of us.
—Thomas Paine (1737–1809) American Nationalist, Author, Pamphleteer, Radical, Inventor
My reputation grows with every failure.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
He that tears away a man’s good name tears his flesh from his bones, and by letting him live gives him only a cruel opportunity of feeling his misery, of burying his better part and surviving himself.
—Robert South (1634–1716) English Theologian, Preacher
The average person’s ear weighs what you are, not what you were.
—Francis Quarles (1592–1644) English Religious Poet
A good reputation is more valuable than money.
—Publilius Syrus (fl.85–43 BCE) Syrian-born Roman Latin Writer
It is generally much more shameful to lose a good reputation than never to have acquired it.
—Pliny the Elder (23–79CE) Roman Statesman, Scholar
Whoever renders service to many puts himself in line for greatness—great wealth, great return, great satisfaction, great reputation, and great joy.
—Jim Rohn (1930–2009) American Entrepreneur, Author, Motivational Speaker
The purest treasure mortal times afford is spotless reputation; that away, men are but gilded loam or painted clay.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
It is easier for a woman to defend her virtue against men than her reputation against women.
—Unknown
Few people think more than two or three times a year. I’ve made an international reputation for myself by thinking once or twice a week.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
Reputation is rarely proportioned to virtue.—We have seen a thousand people esteemed, either for the merit they had not yet attained or for what they no longer possessed.
—Montesquieu (1689–1755) French Political Philosopher, Jurist
Reputation is sometimes as wide as the horizon, when character is but the point of a needle.—Character is what one really is; reputation what others believe him to be.
—Henry Ward Beecher (1813–87) American Clergyman, Writer
My name and memory I leave to men’s charitable speeches, to foreign nations, and to the next age.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
O! reputation, dearer far than life, thou precious balsam, lovely, sweet of smell, whose cordial drops once spilt by some rash hand, not all thy owner’s care, nor the repenting toil of the rude spiller, ever can collect to its first purity and native sweetness.
—Walter Raleigh (1552–1618) English Courtier, Navigator, Poet
It ain’t often that a man’s reputation outlasts his money.
—Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) (1818–85) American Humorist, Author, Lecturer
Ninety percent of the politicians give the other ten percent a bad reputation.
—Henry Kissinger (b.1923) American Diplomat, Academician
A man’s reputation draws eyes upon him that will narrowly inspect every part of him.
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719) English Essayist, Poet, Playwright, Politician
Reputation is only a candle, of wavering and uncertain flame, and easily blown out, but it is the light by which the world looks for and finds merit.
—James Russell Lowell (1819–91) American Poet, Critic
The worst thing that can happen to a man is to lose his money, the next worst his health, the next worst his reputation.
—Samuel Butler
I am better than my reputation.
—Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805) German Poet, Dramatist
It takes 20 years to build a reputation and 5 minutes to ruin it. If you think about that you will do things differently.
—Warren Buffett (b.1930) American Investor
Concealed talent brings no reputation.
—Desiderius Erasmus (c.1469–1536) Dutch Humanist, Scholar
Your women of honor, as you call em, are only chary of their reputations, not their persons; and ‘Tis scandal that they would avoid, not men.
—William Wycherley (c.1640–1716) English Dramatist
Along with success comes a reputation for wisdom.
—Euripides (480–406 BCE) Ancient Greek Dramatist
There are two modes of establishing our reputation—to be praised by honest men, and to be abused by rogues. It is best, however, to secure the former, because it will invariably be accompanied by the latter.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
Associate yourself with men of good quality if you esteem your own reputation; for ’tis better to be alone than in bad company.
—George Washington (1732–99) American Head of State, Military Leader
See that your character is right, and in the long run your reputation will be right.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
We would all like a reputation for generosity and we’d all like to buy it cheap.
—Mignon McLaughlin (1913–83) American Journalist, Author
How many worthy men have we seen survive their own reputations!
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
If I take care of my character, my reputation will take care of itself.
—Dwight L. Moody (1837–99) Christian Religious Leader, Publisher
Marriage is socialism among two people.
—Barbara Ehrenreich (b.1941) American Social Critic, Essayist
If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner.
—Nelson Mandela (1918–2013) South African Political leader
With enough courage, you can do without a reputation.
—Margaret Mitchell (1900–49) American Novelist, Journalist
The way to gain a good reputation is to endeavor to be what you desire to appear.
—Socrates (469BCE–399BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher
The two most precious things this side of the grave are our reputation and our life. But it is to be lamented that the most contemptible whisper may deprive us of the one, and the weakest weapon of the other.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
One can survive everything nowadays, except death, and live down anything except a good reputation.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
What people say behind your back is your standing in the community.
—E. W. Howe (1853–1937) American Novelist, Editor
When a door opens not to your knock, consider your reputation.
—Arabic Proverb
Kindly words do not enter so deeply into men as a reputation for kindness.
—Mencius (c.371–c.289 BCE) Chinese Philosopher, Sage
Reputation is but the synonym of popularity; dependent on suffrage, to be increased or diminished at the will of the voters.
—Washington Allston (1779–1843) American Poet, Painter
Judge a man by the reputation of his enemies
—Arabic Proverb
The great difficulty is first to win a reputation; the next to keep it while you live; and the next to preserve it after you die, when affection and interest are over, and nothing but sterling excellence can preserve your name. Never suffer youth to be an excuse for inadequacy, nor age and fame to be an excuse for indolence.
—Benjamin Haydon (1786–1846) English Painter, Writer
Better to die than to live on with a bad reputation.
—Vietnamese Proverb
Perhaps a man’s character was like a tree, and his reputation like its shadow; the shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
To disregard what the world thinks of us is not only arrogant but utterly shameless.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
You have three names: the one you inherited, the one your parents gave you, and the one you make for yourself.
—Sanhedrin Supreme Council in Ancient Israel
Reputation, reputation, reputation! O, I ha lost my reputation, I ha lost the immortal part of myself, and what remains is bestial!
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
How many people live on the reputation of the reputation they might have made!
—Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. (1809–94) American Physician, Essayist
When ten thousand soldiers lie rotting, the general’s reputation is enhanced.
—Japanese Proverb