Most people don’t think about it very often – if ever – and when they do think about it, it is usually in conjunction with movie stars, singers, politician and the like.

But image control is a very important factor in living in this crazy, wild world in which your online and ‘real’ life coincide.

Too often we – you, me, and others who read/write blogs, use Facebook or other social media outlets – forget that everything we write and post goes out into the wider world for good. There is no such thing as a ‘memory loss’ on the internet… things can always be dug up and re-published (usually at the wrong time).

Because of this new era in which we live, we must be careful and think through our comments and posts. In others words, we much control our ‘image’ online to make sure it coincide with who we are and what we want others to think about us.

Now please don’t take these comments too far the other direction and start creating a false identity for yourself – one that is better looking, better at sports, games, richer, etc then your own real life. That is the opposite of what I am talking about.

Perhaps a story will help illustrate my point.

When I first started blogging on Requisite Danger in May 2006, I used the screen name “Ardell”. I did this because I did not want my real name out in the online space – I was scared that my identity would be stolen or someone would find me and beat me up… or more realistically, I was concerned about what would happen if someone searched for my name online and found my blog site.

Would they disown me? Or think badly about me because of something I wrote? Would I lose a job opportunity? (I have friend in human resources who uses Google to research the names of each person they interview…)

As the years went by, I begin to follow the blogs of various pastors and church leaders – all of whom used their real names as a way to connect with their churches and other leaders (both online and off). Their behavior challenged me to stop hiding behind a screen name and to start blogging/writing under my real name.

So I did.

However, when I made this jump I also realized that it meant that I would have to be careful in what I wrote and/or posted. Some things that one audience in my life would understand may not be understood by others within my social network. For example, there are certain books that I read that I will not blog about because the content of the books are controversial and could be misunderstood outside the proper context.

In other words, I would have to control my image and be my own publicity guru.

• Do I want to be connected with xyz?
• Do I mind if people know this about me?
• Will xyz publicly humiliate my family, friends and/or co-workers?
• Am I putting my family or those around me in danger because of something I said (i.e. missionaries overseas, private contact information, financial data, etc)?
• Would saying xyz open myself up for theft (vacation plans, away from home, etc)?

These are questions that must be asked each and every time a post or comment is placed online (whether in Facebook, on a blog, forum, etc).

As a wise man once said long ago:

“A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.” –Proverbs 22:1