I was recently asked how a person can build their character. There may be others, but I listed ten points that will help anyone to develop themselves.
Our word “character” comes from the Greek kharaktēr. Originally meaning “engraved mark,” its definition was extended to include the “defining quality” of a thing or person.
We tend to think of character as an inner state, cultivated in isolation. The Greek term suggests that the character is pressed into us. And, certainly, classical education could be harsh, and values could be brutally inculcated into students. Cur character is determined by how we respond to the external (and how it responds to our response).
Below are my ten points for developing the character.
- Ask yourself if you really believe what you say or if you say it because you want people to approve.
- Face the unknown. Face what makes you uncomfortable.
- Practice self-control.
- Learn a real skill, and keep learning until you reach a level of mastery.
- Don’t see yourself as a victim, but as someone who has the power to change things, even if it is one small thing at a time.
- Understand that life is chaos and you cannot control everything—and that you shouldn’t want to control everything; but that you should aim to be able to face adversity with energy, calm, focus, and intelligence.
- Always try to improve yourself and be an example to other people that you can be an example to.
- Understand that things are complex but that your knowledge is limited—and that you can always learn something.
- Understand that if everything you learn reinforces your beliefs, either (a) you’re not listening to what’s being said or (b) you’re not exposing yourself to a wide enough array of subjects or opinions.
- Cultivate your mind (read and think), body (train and have a healthy diet), and spirit (pray, meditate, find the beauty in things).
What is one small step you can take today to develop your character?
