I was dropping in on a CrossFit class in Austin recently and noticed that while we were working out as a group, one of the members of the CrossFit gym arrived and walked by all of us. She was greeted with several hellos and high fives and the mood in the room lightened even though we were engaged in an intense workout.

I don’t know anything about her but I could tell she was respected.

Respect can be earned in many different ways but at its core, it’s based on our character and how the world perceives us. It’s a reflection of many things.

• Work ethic
• Kindness
• Humility
• Curiosity
• Honesty
• Integrity
• Generosity
• …etc.

None of us are great in all of these areas but it’s the recognition of those weaknesses and the willingness to improve that might be the most important part of all of this.

Because when we respect ourselves and make a commitment to improving that becomes glaring to the people around us that know us best.