Cardsharps by Caravaggio (Michaelangelo Merisi), 1595 (Google Art Project - public domain)

Trust is a strange thing. We work so hard for it, make it the center of how we define ourselves, and then, with one small misstep, we can lose it for years. We hope that we can earn it back.

There are some who pretend to care about trust, giving you the impression that it matters. But then their actions don't match their words.

And then there are those who don't even pretend to care about gaining your trust. They just do whatever they want, reputation be damned.

In these scenarios, it's #2 to be careful of. At least you know where you stand with those who valiantly try or admit that they don't.

But those who deceive, lie, or simply mouth the words without doing the work—those are the real danger.

We’ve seen them before.

The tech company that breaches trust while constantly assuring us that trust is their #1 priority.

The coworker who assures you that you're in good standing while badmouthing you to your colleagues.

The boss who encourages you, but is like a combination of Machiavelli and Svengali behind the scenes.

All of these are examples of situations that seemingly give you reasons to be trusting, but are simply false flags.

Don't wait to be fooled more than once. Learn from your mistake, then move on.

You know how hard trust is to earn. Make sure you apply those same standards to the trust you seek.

“Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.” 

― William Shakespeare, All's Well That Ends Well [tweet this]