In Batman Begins, this quote is said twice. In the beginning of the movie, when Bruce is acting a bit foolish at a hotel with supermodels, he runs into Rachel. He tells her that all of what she has just seen isn’t him. He says that inside he is more. In fairness to Bruce, he is trying to maintain a public image as a playboy, so he isn’t suspected of being Batman. Rachel doesn’t know this and tells him that deep down he might still be that great kid he was, but that it isn’t who you are underneath, it what you do that defines you. Bruce stares off as she walks away, knowing she is disappointed.
Then towards the end of the film, Rachel encounters Batman and she asks him what his name is. Batman looks at her and says, “It’s not who I am underneath, but what I do that defines me,” knowing that Rachel while know that it is him. He then goes off to do his batmanery and save Gotham from Ra’s al Ghul and his League of Assassins.
Actions speak louder than words. And who you are is determined by what you do, rather than what you say you’ll do.
We often go through life with the best of intentions. We tell ourselves that we are going to get back to the gym and lose those last 10 pounds or finally write that book that we’ve been wanting to write. But we don’t seem to ever get around to it. Why? Because we get distracted and lose our focus. We don’t prioritize the important things that actually matter to us.
Remember, people aren’t going to remember what you meant to do. They will only remember what did.
