Article last updated on January 21, 2022
A weak person will do anything to get what they want, but a strong character has no need for that because they know their worth and value.
They are not afraid of being rejected or failing at something because they have learned from past experiences that it is better to fail than to succeed without having done your best and having clear moral values i.e. clearly defined values and principles.
To know who you can trust and rely on is to recognize a person of strong character. Honesty, resiliency, and dependability are the hallmarks of a strong character. It’s critical for you and those that matter most to you.
If you don’t have the ability to do evil, you can only be obedient. That is at least what philosophers are saying.
People with strong character have a lot of independence of thought, which allows them to plan and act on their own.
They have the ability to control their urges that don’t line up with their values and principles.
If you look up the definition of “strong” in the dictionary, you’ll see definitions such as:
- Having great physical strength; able to endure pain
- Able to withstand hardship
- Firmly resolved to act as one intends
- Not easily discouraged by difficulties or setbacks
- Persistent in pursuing an objective
- Able to cope with adversity
- Being determined
Here’s another way to think about this:
Strong people have a sense of self-worth that doesn’t come from external sources. They feel good about themselves even when things aren’t going well.
They are confident in their abilities and skills. They are able to make decisions based on their values and principles.
Identify these traits in yourself and others. Strive towards building a strong character, and here are seven characteristics that only people with strong character possess.
Self-discipline Is The Foundation
Lack of structure does not (in the long run) lead to freedom. Freedom comes from being able to control one’s behavior.
Character is developed by repeatedly completing challenging tasks while keeping an end goal in mind.
Our aims and goals can be achieved if we have a strong character. It discourages others from placing obstacles in our path.
Having achieved our goals gives us the freedom and resources to spend our time doing just those things that are both useful and fun. That’s what it means to have actual freedom.
Improve your focus and self-control by reinforcing positive behaviors and eliminating harmful ones. Basic “stick and carrot” psychology can help you achieve your goal.
Encourage good conduct and penalize bad behavior. Even while we intellectually know what is and isn’t beneficial in the long run, the primitive areas of our brain respond better to incentives and punishments that are just temporary in nature.
The more often you practice, the easier it becomes. You will find yourself thinking less about the consequences of your actions and more about the long-term end goal.
If you’ve been slacking off, take away some of the privileges you enjoy.
When you’re trying to develop a strong character, it’s important to understand that no single action is enough.
You need to keep working at it until you get results.
It may seem like a small thing, but how you treat someone else really matters.
Which leads me to a point of humility.
Humility Keeps You Grounded
Humility is a talent that is undervalued. My definition of a talent is one that can be taught like any other ability. I’ve seen people shift from egomaniacs to selfless benefactors by channeling their inner strength into cultivating a spirit of humility.
Many people are forced to learn humility by the currents of life. A person’s ability to develop deep ties with others depends on their ability to let go of their juvenile ego-driven decision-making process as soon as possible.
As a result, you become more robust as well as more protective of individuals you’re close to when you form strong ties.
If we have a strong character, we may follow our dreams with confidence. It also demonstrates to others that we are trustworthy and encourages them to work with us.
Having a clear understanding of one’s deficiencies will allow us to implement rules and methods that will help us improve these critical attributes.
A strong character lives by example and shows humility. We cannot expect others to respect us unless we first show them that we deserve to be respected.
This is why it’s so important to always act in accordance with the Golden Rule: Treat others as you would want to be treated. When you deeply empathize with another individual, you’ll naturally feel more humility.
In fact, there is a direct correlation between having a strong character and being humble. The more humble you are, the stronger your character.
People who lack this trait tend to be full of themselves. They believe they are above average and think everyone should defer to them. They don’t realize that they’re actually hurting themselves because they’re not showing compassion for others.
People with weak character are usually selfish and self-centered.
They’re constantly looking out for number one. They’re quick to judge others based on superficial characteristics such as race or gender. Because they lack empathy, they don’t see the bigger picture. They only care about what happens to them and disregard everything else.
Embracing Hardship
If someone’s initial reaction to hardship is to point fingers, it’s best not to put your faith in them. Blaming someone else is a common way to evade responsibilities.
When things get tough, you can’t rely on this individual because they’re more concerned with maintaining their delicate emotional equilibrium than they are with solving the difficulties at hand.
When things are tough, you want someone by your side who will take responsibility for finding solutions, no matter who is to blame.
Taking responsibility for significant issues is an excellent way to develop your character.
The most effective way to achieve this goal is by embracing hardship. You must accept challenges head-on without blaming anyone else for your problems.
You need to find ways to overcome adversity instead of complaining about how unfair life has been treating you.
You’ll never grow spiritually until you face hardships head-on. This is especially true for those who’ve lost their faith.
It’s okay to admit that you’re struggling. If you do, you’ll be able to get through the situation much faster.
It’s easy to give up when things get rough. But you won’t get anywhere if you quit before trying to solve a problem.
You need to embrace hardship like a warrior. A warrior doesn’t run away from battle; he takes his time preparing himself mentally and physically for the fight ahead.
He embraces all aspects of the challenge, including the pain and suffering that come with it. He knows that he needs to be prepared.
So, embracing hardship means that you have to be willing to endure whatever it takes. It also means that you need to be ready to sacrifice a lot in order to succeed.
This is why people who embrace hardship are often called “heroes.”
A hero isn’t someone who achieves great feats. Instead, a hero is someone who stands up to adversity and refuses to let anything stop him from achieving his goals. A hero is someone who faces obstacles head-on instead of running away from them.
Develop yourself into one.
Respect Different Opinion
We’re all inclined to isolate ourselves in our own little echo chambers and only interact with those who share our views.
This is an excellent strategy if your objective is to never progress, or if you believe that you’re already at the pinnacle of human achievement.
Contrary to popular belief, the tougher method is to seek to comprehend all sides of an argument and never condemn one as morally inferior without first trying to understand why and actually respecting different opinion.
To do this, you’ll need a lot of drive, a wide open mind, and a burning desire to discover the truth.
Anyone who takes the easy route is a coward. Insecurity manifests itself in a person’s tendency to be too defensive.
When this happens, it’s an indication that you’re having trouble defending your point of view and are having to resort to information filtering in order to maintain your mental fortress.
Strong-willed individuals are self-assured, yet they approach every difference of opinion with curiosity rather than contempt. They don’t take offense easily and will always try to understand where others are coming from.
A person with strong character intends to argue his case, and he intends to listen closely as the other person does the same. Open-mindedly, he will compare them and then determine which one makes the most sense to him.
The more you learn about something, the better equipped you’ll be to make informed decisions. So, spend some time reading books on subjects that interest you.
Don’t just read what you agree with. Read everything. Listen to podcasts. Watch documentaries.
Learn how to think critically. You can’t become a well-rounded individual if you limit yourself to listening to opinions that reinforce your existing beliefs.
Your goal should be to expand your horizons by learning new things. The more you know, the stronger your character becomes.
You’ll also develop a deeper understanding of yourself and your place in the world. This will allow you to see the world through a broader lens.
It will give you perspective, making you less likely to get caught up in petty arguments.
You respect different opinions because they give you a new perspective on life you wouldn’t have otherwise had. This allows you to appreciate the fact that everyone has their own unique way of seeing things.
Enliven by Change
People who embrace change tend to be adaptable and flexible.
Strength of character comes from being able to overcome challenges. If you want to achieve greatness, you must be willing to constantly evolve. Achieving greatness requires you to keep pushing boundaries. It means not settling for mediocrity.
In order to push past the limits of your comfort zone, you must be willing and able to face adversity head-on.
If you lack confidence, you won’t be able to accomplish anything. To build confidence, you need to work hard and consistently improve.
There’s no such thing as perfection. Perfectionism is a trap. Perfectionists feel like failures when they fail at something. But, failure is part of success.
Resourceful characters recognize that there is room for improvement. And, they do whatever it takes to improve themselves.
Mental strength is built over time. You can’t expect to be mentally strong overnight. And you need change to go from weak to strong. Long-term goals require consistent effort.
When you start working toward long-term goals, you’ll begin to notice small changes in your behavior. These changes will eventually add up to big differences.
That’s why people with strong character are enlivened by change. They embrace the change with open arms because they know they will grow into someone even greater than before.
Constant Acquisition of Knowledge
I have touched on this a bit when I talked about respecting different options, but it bears repeating:
A resourceful character knows that knowledge is power. He seeks out information whenever possible. He realizes that education is the key to unlocking doors, a new worldview, and objective truth.
Some people like to learn by sitting down and doing nothing but reading until they are fluent in theory. A scientist would find this admirable.
But as an entrepreneur, the greatest method to learn is by doing, failing, correcting your mistakes, and improving yourself.
This takes less time, but needs more willpower. People who can persevere through adversity often exceed the rest of their peers because of their willingness to learn from their mistakes.
The most successful entrepreneurs are those who have mastered the art of learning while building their business. They’re always looking for ways to improve their skills and make them better.
A fatal flaw of many entrepreneurs is that they don’t understand how to acquire knowledge. Entrepreneurship is all about acquiring resources and putting them to use.
It’s important to note that knowledge acquisition isn’t just about books or online courses. It’s also about finding real, down-to-earth projects where you can see direct impact.
Fully Self-Aware
Self-awareness is one of the most valuable traits in any person, but people with strong character are self-aware to a higher degree.
They understand what makes them tick and what motivates them. This allows them to identify their strengths and weaknesses.
They also know what drives them crazy and what pushes them to act rashly. This helps them become aware of their emotions so they can control them.
They know exactly what they want and what they stand for. And they know what they don’t want and what they shouldn’t tolerate. In other words, they know themselves well enough to know what they need to work on.
Most people think that they are fully self-aware, but they aren’t. They don’t know everything about themselves. They only know what they choose to acknowledge.
People with strong character take the time to get to know themselves. They realize that no matter how much they know about themselves, there is always room for improvement.
And, they know that if they don’t know something, they must research it and figure it out.
When you spend time getting to know yourself, you’ll be able to pinpoint areas where you could improve. You’ll also be able to tell whether you’re being honest with yourself.
If you feel like you’re not being truthful with yourself, then you should probably do some soul searching.
You may discover that you’re holding back on certain things because you fear rejection. Or, maybe you’re afraid of failure because you don’t want to admit that you made a mistake.
Either way, you won’t be able to move forward if you keep lying to yourself.
You must be completely honest with yourself.
Conclusion
Being a good person doesn’t mean that you have to be perfect. But, it does mean that you have to be willing to put in the effort to develop yourself. If you don’t, then you’ll never achieve any actual goal.
Your success depends on how hard you work at becoming a better version of yourself.
Character traits are essential to your success as an entrepreneur. Without them, you’ll never reach your goals.
So, start today by developing these seven characteristics. Once you’ve done this, you’ll embrace everything life has to offer.
