No Such Thing as “Out of Character
I believe Clark Lea.
On November 25, 2025, Lea, who is the (outstanding) head football coach at Vanderbilt, said this on the Jim Rome Show, about his (outstanding) quarterback, Diego Pavia:
“His best trait is his connection with his teammates. His humility…he’s a grateful guy. He’s a grounded guy. And he plays with competitive swagger that really sets the tone for our team. But it is absolutely anchored in humility…and in those quite connections in the locker room that really helped drive our team.”
I believe Diego Pavia.
On December 13, 2025, Pavia, who finished runner up in the 2025 Heisman Trophy voting to Indiana’s (outstanding) quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, posted a message on Instagram just hours after the Heisman award show. That message read, in part, “F — all the voters.” Later that same evening, a video was taken of Pavia dancing in a club, cozying up to a digital sign that scrolled “F — Indiana.” A grinning/grimacing Pavia flashed his middle finger at the sign before turning to put that same finger full into the frame of the camera.
Hmm.
Perhaps an appropriate question to ask here is, “Wait, how can Coach Lea attest to Pavia being humble and grateful and grounded…and then weeks later, Pavia acts completely the opposite of these qualities?”
Well, for starters, probably because Pavia’s human.
Second, because he’s 23.
And, perhaps most profoundly, because nothing we can do is out of character for us.
Translation: What coach Lea has witnessed “over time” about Pavia is true of Pavia’s character and Pavia’s speech and actions “in the moment” following the Heisman ceremony are true of his character.
No one is one dimensional.
Thus, nothing we can do can be considered “out of character” for us.
Character is comprised of all qualities that shape and show who I am; these qualities are evident in how I think, speak, and act.
Now, sometimes I think/speak/act in a way — whether positively or negatively — that surprises others…and may even surprise me! However, even when my actions are without explanation, they are still within my character.
Because, my character is me — all of me, the good and the bad. So even if the bad is only a tiny part (say, for example, only .01% of who I am), that tiny part bad is nonetheless a valid, accurate part of who I am.
Thus, there is no such thing as “out of character” for me — or for anyone else. Keep that in mind, leaders.
We each, no matter who or where we are in this life, have the capacity to demonstrate poor character. If we often make questionable choices in thinking/speech/action, the overall quality of our character is considered questionable — and rightfully so.
And if we often make good choices in our thinking/speech/action, the overall quality of our character is considered good — and rightfully so. That said, when (not “if”) we make poor choices, those choices are still ours…they still emanate from some part of who we really are (our character).
Back to Pavia…later, on December 14, he made some better character choices, posting a statement on Twitter in which he admitted that not winning the Heisman was “painful” for him and that he “didn’t handle those emotions [related to not winning] well at all.” He also apologized for being “disrespectful” following the Heisman ceremony, a “mistake” for which he was “sorry.”
I believe Diego Pavia.
I have on many occasions — and not just when 23 years old — acted in a disrespectful manner, allowing my emotions to get the best of me. And I have later (soon) been truly sorry for my actions.
In the same statement, however, Pavia also claimed that he had “much love and respect for the Heisman voters and the selection process.”
Now, I can’t go there with him on that.
Because of this truth: When presented with conflicting information, people will listen to what you say (on Dec. 14) but will believe what you do (on Dec. 13).
And back to coach Lea…later, on December 18, he addressed Pavia’s post-Heisman behavior for the first time. Among other things, coach Lea expressed regret for Pavia’s posts. Coach Lea admitted that Pavia “went past the line” and was responsible for the perception his behavior created. He also claimed that Pavia was completely cognizant of the “ripple effects and consequences” of his actions. Additionally, coach Lea stressed that people should give Pavia grace, driving this point home with, “I’m glad I didn’t have social media access when I was 23 because I’m sure I would have had to apologize for a number of things in my emotional state too.”
I believe coach Lea.
His words are thoughtful, solid example of how a leader should handle a challenging, complex situation concerning a teammate and/or subordinate.
In the same press conference, however, coach Lea also claimed that Pavia’s words “don’t align with who [Pavia] is.”
Now, I can’t go there with him on that.
Because Pavia’s words — no matter what they are, no matter when they are shared — are inseparable from his character, from who he is. And this is true for us all: Our words and actions always reveal (a part of) who we are…even if a particular version of “who we are” is not how people normally see/perceive/know us (which is the definition of “reputation,” not character).
Please note: The above is not a condemnation of Diego Pavia or Clark Lea. The above is simply a case study. The above is simply a recent news story that many people know about used to illustrate an important truth that many people don’t think about…
Nothing we can do is out of character for us.
Consequently, leaders, as related to our character, perfection should never be our goal.
Progress, however, must always be.
No Such Thing as “Out of Character” was originally published in Horizon Performance on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
