Better to Preserve than Recover
Character is much easier kept than recovered. – Thomas Paine
Whatever it takes to earn the esteem and trust is but a fraction of what it takes to rebuild yourself in the eyes of others.
And that’s assuming it’s even possible.
Sometimes, once you lose the confidence of people it can be impossible to get it back, either partially or completely.
Much better to know yourself and what makes you honorable and trustworthy and let that awareness influence your decisions.
You see, the more you are aware of what makes you special and trustworthy and honorable, the more likely you are take care with those things.
It is generally the careless who abuse the trust of others – because something else was more important.
Take care to know, and practice, what’s important and things will take care of themselves.