What Does It Mean to Have Good Character? An In-Depth Look at This Important Trait

Having good character is about much more than just being a “good person.” While it may seem simple on the surface, good character encompasses a wide range of virtues, strengths, and positive qualities. In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at what it really means to have good character.

The Definition of Good Character

Good character refers to the moral virtues and strengths that lead a person to think feel and act in positive ways. It means consistently exhibiting qualities like honesty, integrity, responsibility, kindness, and fairness.

People with good character have a moral compass that guides them to make ethical choices and treat others with respect. Their motivations and behaviors come from a caring, just place not ego greed, or self-interest.

Key Components of Good Character

Good character has several main components:

• Moral virtues – Traits like honesty, compassion, justice, gratitude
• Moral strengths – Things like bravery, persistence, humility, prudence
• Stable motivation and behavior – Acting the same in public and private, over time
• Appropriate feelings/thoughts – Reacting properly to situations
• Ethical actions – Doing the right thing even when difficult
• Proper motives – Caring about others, not rewards/punishment

Let’s explore what each of these entails in more detail:

Moral Virtues

Moral virtues are character traits that lead to ethical actions. They include:

• Honesty – Telling the truth, acting with integrity
• Compassion – Showing care, empathy and kindness toward others
• Justice – Being fair, not playing favorites or discriminating
• Gratitude – Appreciating what you have rather than being entitled
• Forgiveness – Letting go of resentment, not holding grudges

People with good character exhibit these virtues even when it’s inconvenient or there’s no outside reward. They do the right thing simply because it’s right.

Moral Strengths

In addition to moral virtues, good character also requires moral strengths. These give a person the willpower and fortitude to stand up for their values. Moral strengths include:

• Bravery – Taking principled stands even if unpopular or risky
• Persistence – Staying disciplined and not giving up on doing good
• Humility – Keeping accomplishments in perspective; not becoming arrogant
• Prudence – Carefully considering actions and not acting rashly

These help sustain moral behavior in the face of challenges and obstacles. They prevent situational pressures from leading someone astray.

Stable Behavior Over Time

Part of good character is consistency – acting the same in private as in public, and maintaining behavior over time. It’s easy to put on an act for a little while, but authentic good character holds firm.

Someone cut corners or acts unethically when nobody’s looking lacks the stability aspect of good character. Their motivation and behavior shifts based on circumstances rather than staying rooted in values.

Appropriate Thoughts and Feelings

Good character isn’t just about outward behavior – it also involves reacting the proper way internally. For instance, witnessing injustice should spark outrage and empathy, not indifference. Good people feel motivated to step in and make things right.

Conversely, the misfortunes of others shouldn’t elicit glee or contempt. Those who take pleasure in cruelty often have poor character despite charming exteriors.

Ethical Actions Even When Difficult

People with good character take right actions even when extremely inconvenient, dangerous, or going against self-interest. Whistleblowers exposing corruption – despite professional or legal consequences – demonstrate this moral courage.

It’s easy to follow rules and protocols when they align with self-interest or there’s no major sacrifice involved. But making ethical choices in the face of great personal cost or risk truly shows good character.

Proper Motives

Finally, exhibiting good character means having pure motives untainted by selfishness or ego. If someone volunteers but only for sake of padding a resume or feeling important, that diminishes the moral value of their actions.

True good character comes from a caring place – doing good for its own sake. Seeking reward or acclaim contradicts this “heart of gold” intent and indicates poorer character.

Why Good Character Matters

There are many reasons why developing good character is important:

• Makes society better – Everyone benefits when people can trust and count on each other.
• Improves relationships – Good character makes you a reliable friend, partner, employee.
• Avoids regrets – Those with poor character often live to regret mistreating others.
• Leads to success – In both work and school, good character leads to achievement.
• Gains respect – It earns admiration and appreciation from others.
• Creates role models – Those with good character set positive examples.
• Develops strong communities – Neighborhoods and networks where people have good character are vibrant.
• Provides meaning and purpose – Acting with integrity is fulfilling.

In countless ways, individuals and groups thrive when good character is widespread. It is the bedrock of both healthy interpersonal relationships and functioning societies.

How to Assess Good Character in Yourself and Others

Now that we’ve explored what good character entails, how can you assess it in yourself or others? There are some key signs to look for:

• Do they exhibit the virtues of honesty, compassion, etc. consistently over time and in different contexts? In other words, is it part of their core personality rather than a temporary act?

• What motivates their behavior? Concern for others or self-interest? For good character, it should clearly be the former.

• Do they follow moral principles even when inconvenient or to their own detriment?

• How do they respond internally to situations? With appropriate emotions and thoughts?

• Are they transparent and consistent in public and private? Or do they engage in situational ethics based on who’s watching?

• How do they treat people who are vulnerable and powerless to help or hurt them back? This reveals true character.

• Do others describe them as having integrity, or being reliable, principled, and kind? Whatpatterns emerge in feedback?

No one is perfect, but looking for these signs can provide clues to the level of good character someone possesses.

24 Widely-Valued Character Strengths

In studying good character, researchers have identified 24 specific, universally-valued character strengths. These positive traits tend to cluster into six main virtues:

Wisdom and Knowledge – creativity, curiosity, judgment/critical thinking, love of learning, perspective

Courage – bravery, perseverance, honesty, zest

Humanity – love, kindness, social intelligence

Justice – teamwork, fairness, leadership

Temperance – forgiveness, humility, prudence, self-regulation

Transcendence – appreciation of beauty, gratitude, hope, humor, spirituality

Each of these strengths reflects an element of good character that is beneficial for both individuals and communities. Some people naturally excel in certain areas, while having room for growth in others.

Can You Change Your Character?

The good news is that character isn’t fixed from childhood. People can improve their character through concerted effort and intentional growth. With practice, the behavioral patterns that make up your character can become more ethical and positive.

Strategies for strengthening character include:

• Identifying your top character strengths and finding new ways to apply them. This builds on your natural moral aptitudes.

• Recognizing your character weaknesses and working to improve them through daily practice. Small consistent steps to be more patient, forgiving, generous, etc. will accumulate over time.

• Making ethics and virtue an explicit priority in your decision-making rather than an afterthought. Before acting, pause and reflect on the moral implications.

• Surrounding yourself with positive role models and friends with good character. They’ll influence you to make better choices.

• Taking responsibility to right your wrongs when you slip up morally. Don’t rationalize poor behavior. Apologize and improve.

While perfect character may not be attainable, we can all get incrementally better through mindful effort. And that benefits society as a whole.

Good character doesn’t come from random acts of niceness. It requires exhibiting core virtues like honesty and compassion habitually, internally, and even in the face of adversity. Although difficult, making ethical choices ultimately creates a better life and world for all.