“Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anyone else expects of you. Never excuse yourself. Never pity yourself. Be a hard master to yourself and be lenient to everyone else.”
— Henry Ward Beecher
The development of character is the great business of life. Your ability to cultivate a reputation for integrity and honour remains the highest mark of both personal and professional success. As Ralph Waldo Emerson famously said, “What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear a word that you say.”
According to Brian Tracy, the person you are today—your inner character—is the sum total of every choice and decision you’ve made in life. Each time you choose rightly and act consistently with your values, you strengthen your character. Conversely, every time you compromise or take the easy route, you weaken it.
The Great Virtues
A person of character embodies several core virtues: courage, compassion, generosity, temperance, persistence, and friendliness, among others. Yet, the most critical of them all is integrity.
Integrity is living in complete truth with yourself and others—it is the foundation that guarantees every other virtue. The higher your integrity, the greater your honesty, consistency, and moral strength.
However, developing integrity requires self-discipline and willpower—to always “do the right thing,” even when it’s not convenient. Life constantly tests who we are deep down. While wisdom may be gained privately through reflection, character is forged in daily life, through difficult choices and moral tests.
The Test of Character
True character is revealed under pressure—when you must decide whether to uphold your values or compromise them. Emerson advised: “Guard your integrity as a sacred thing; nothing at last is sacred except the integrity of your own mind.”
Every choice you make reflects your real priorities. When faced with temptation or expediency, it is character that safeguards your actions. No matter how talented you are, a failure in character equals a failure in leadership.
The Big Payoff
Choosing integrity and discipline over convenience yields powerful rewards. You gain self-respect, confidence, and peace of mind. Others begin to trust and admire you. Doors of opportunity open—people promote, support, and respect those whose character they can rely on.
Conversely, even the most gifted person cannot thrive without trust. Without integrity, no one will hire, finance, or associate deeply with you. Ultimately, the quality of your character determines the quality of your life.
The Development of Character
As Aristotle stated, “All advancement in society begins with the development of the character of the young.” Character building begins early and continues through instruction, study, and practice.
1. Teach Values Early
Parents play a key role in shaping their children’s values through patient teaching and example. Values like honesty must be emphasized continually, not once.
2. Study Values You Admire
According to The Law of Concentration, “Whatever you dwell upon grows and increases in your life.” Studying the lives of virtuous individuals reinforces these qualities within you, programming your subconscious to act in alignment with them.
3. Emulate Role Models
Make a list of people you admire and the virtues they represent. Then, consciously strive to reflect those same traits in your own life.
4. Practice Consistently
Character is strengthened through repetition—by choosing right actions repeatedly until they become second nature. As Epictetus said, “Circumstances do not make the man; they merely reveal him to himself.”
Men and women of character do what is right without hesitation—their actions flow naturally from deeply ingrained values.
Conclusion
Ultimately, a person’s most valuable asset is not a brain full of knowledge but a heart full of love, an ear ready to listen, and a hand willing to help.
By Capt. Sam Addaih (Rtd)
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