Why don’t they teach you the most important skills in life?
To call a few;
- Self-confidence
- Empathy
- Kindness
- Patience
- Persistence
Those skills are crucial.
No one tells you before you graduate that the real world is a tough one. That you should harden up a little because the competition out there is fierce.
Being passionate about your field and loving what you do, are no longer the only requirements for a successful career or business. The demand is much higher.
How do you become successful if it isn’t for the degree you worked so hard for?
In my brief time as a door-to-door salesman, I discovered that I didn’t know much about the important things in life, like connecting with people. But more importantly, how to deal with the inner voice that told me I was not good enough.
Hack, although I got my degree in Finance, I still didn’t know how to file my taxes.
What else didn’t they teach me that’s important?
Let’s dive in to learn why character matters.
What is Character
Character is the qualities and traits you have. These qualities determine how you react to situations and events that happen in life. And how you react determines your outcome in life.
Most people don’t view character as something sexy. In fact, no one speaks about character transformation at all.
Yet, great people are defined by great character.
Look at the names in history that stand out. Think about Benjamin Franklin, Elenor Roosevelt, Nelson Mandela, and not to forget, Jesus Christ.
They’ve achieved many great accomplishments in their life. But what is the driving force behind their success? Is it the skills they’ve to build up throughout their life?
To some degree it is. But not the skills that you learn in school.
The skills they’ve built are the skills of great character. They’ve learned how to become great individuals and truly care about others.
It’s who they were as a person that led to their successes.
Let’s have a look at modern successes. Isn’t Warren Buffett’s success related to his character? His humility and frugal lifestyle seem to serve him well in terms of happiness.
Character transformation and success go hand in hand.
Why is Character Important Today
How has the importance of character changed over time and is it still important today?
Well, times are changing.
The rise of the internet exposes everyone a little more. That means it also becomes harder to hide the truth and to get away with bad behavior.
Character is more important than ever.
Think about what popular online entrepreneurs like Gary Vaynerchuk, Grant Cardone, and Marie Forleo have in common. They have great character traits and a genuine interest in helping others. And they’ve built incredible connections and businesses through it.
When more people like and trust you, you increase the number of opportunities in your life.
This accounts for anything and everything in life.
Character is the foundation for every kind of personal success. From better relationships to an increase in your wealth. And you’ll experience more freedom and happiness as a result.
Character matters.
Let’s have a look at some of the area’s within your life that you will enjoy when you improve your character:
- Increased personal wellbeing. Developing your character gives you a greater sense of meaning and purpose. This leads to more self-confidence and reduces anxiety.
- Better relationships. Having a great character makes you more charismatic and persuasive. This helps you to attract the people you want to have around you.
- Become an admirable person. You become much more likable when you’re at ease with yourself, and you also become more confident in your abilities.
- Better contracts and more clients. People like others they trust. Good character opens many doors for you in terms of opportunities.
- Leaving an impact on the world. Look at the story of Abraham Lincoln and you’ll understand how much one person can do. Change always starts with 1 person that’s courageous enough to lead by example.
- Self-improvement makes a great leader. At some point, you become a leader. Whether that’s in your job, your company, or when you become the father of a child, leadership is everywhere.
Your character shines through in everything that you do. It’s the underlying factor that touches everything in your life: clients, colleagues, friends, family, strangers, and many, many more.
How to Improve Your Character
If you want to improve your character, you need to know two things. First, it’s not an overnight transformation. It takes a bit of patience and consistency to make this transformation happen.
But here’s the good news: the tactics are simple and easy.
What’s not so easy though, is sticking with your practice. To stay consistent in times when you seem to hit a brick wall.
That’s why habits are so powerful.
Develop habits in improving your character in the following traits and you’ll greatly enhance the quality of your life:
- Confidence
- Responsible
- Trustworthy
- Positive
- Kind
- Persistent
- Empathy
When you improve only slightly in each of these elements, you’ll notice a difference in the quality of your life. In the next couple of months, we will take a deeper dive into developing these character traits.
Character Matters
Character is a great element for real success. When you develop self-awareness, that lays the foundation for improving your character too.
Do you want to know where you stand today?
It’s great as your starting point for self-insight. And it can help you uncover your strengths and pitfalls based on your personality traits.
If you liked this post, make sure to sign up for the email newsletter for more content like this!