Each time we are faced with a choice, we are either moving closer to the person we want to be or further from it.
Who we are as a person is determined by the choices we make in life. Courage is a choice. Humility is a choice. Integrity is a choice. Selflessness is a choice. Duty is a choice. Positivity is a choice. Our circumstances may not be in our control, but the choices we make in the midst of those circumstances are.
Each time we make a choice, it makes it easier to make that same choice again. That is how our habits are formed – one choice at a time. This is true with habits like drinking, smoking or working out. It is also true with our Habits of Character.
What Are My Choices?
The Habits of Character we create or reinforce are the result of our choices. First the good news! If we have a weak Habit of Character, we can begin to change that by making new choices today! Now the bad news. If we are not choosing to exercise character, we are choosing to be something we would never tell our kids to be.
“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” -Edmund Burke
We choose Courage, or we choose Cowardice
If we do not speak up or act because it might hurt us personally….then we are a coward.
We choose Humility, or we choose Arrogance
If we believe I don’t need to grow or won’t admit mistakes…then we are arrogant.
We choose Integrity, or we choose Hypocrisy
If we get mad when we are lied to by others and then tell fibs or white lies ourselves….we are hypocrites.
We choose Selflessness, or we choose Selfishness
If we put our needs in front of others….we are selfish.
We choose Duty, or We choose to be Unreliable
If we only fulfill our commitments when we feel like it….we are unreliable.
We choose Positivity, or we choose to be a Joy Sucker
If we consistently make people feel worse with our complaining…we are a Joy Sucker.
Who we are is not determined by who we think we are or by whom we wish to be. Who we are is determined by our choices.
Take this free, private, 5 minute Character Assessment to get a snapshot of where your character is today. Click on this link:
The Bottom Line:
When it comes to our character we have a choice. Do we move closer to being the person we want to be, or do we move further from that person?
Few of us believe choosing to be cowardly, arrogant, hypocritical, selfish, unreliable and a joy-sucker is appealing to others. In fact, we all believe in the need for Courage, Humility, Integrity, Selflessness, Duty, and Positivity where we work and in our homes. We want our children to display each of these habits.
We can easily point out people around us who need to work on these Habits of Character. It is easy to point out what others need to work on. But what about me?
I have a choice. Do I admit that I need work? Or am I going to choose to ignore the cracks in my character (see Arrogance)?
It comes down to a choice. We can choose to start becoming who we want to be and who we want our kids to be. Or we can choose to move away from that person and do the thing we tell our kids not to do (see Hypocrite).
It is a choice that will define us and our legacy in this world and with our families.
Question:
Which of these Habits of Character are most critical for you to strengthen?
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