Elements of Character

You don’t see or hear a lot about character these days, except maybe on MLK Day. Does anybody even know what “character” is, besides a figure in a book or film, comic book or cartoon?

Let’s start with something simpler: Mazlow’s Hierarchy of Needs

This list is stair-stepped for a reason—as we acquire the items on the lowest level, we move up a step until we’ve reached the top (or absolute fulfillment). When the highest level of needs has been fulfilled, we are at the “enough” state of our lives—we have then acquired all we need as human beings to lead a full, normal, complete life with no wants, no desires, and no worries.

In order to begin acquiring these things with relative ease, one has to have possession of one thing: character. It’s something nobody can buy, give, or inherit. It makes us who we are as people, defines us when nothing else does, and can never be taken from us.

The Six Pillars of Character

TRUST—to be reliable, honest, reputable, courageous, loyal in word and deed

RESPECT—to be tolerant, considerate, peaceful, accepting

RESPONSIBILITY—to have perseverance, restraint, discipline, accountability, consideration

FAIRNESS—to be open-minded, receptive, equitable

CARING—to be kind, compassionate, considerate, forgiving, helpful

*Forgive me--my husband noticed I forgot one--"citizenship". It's on the link I embedded above.

Principles of character:

• Your character is defined by what you do, not what you say or believe.

• Every choice you make helps define the kind of person you are choosing to be.

• Good character requires doing the right thing, even when it is costly or risky.

• You don't have to take the worst behavior of others as a standard for yourself. You can choose to be better than that.

• What you do matters, and one person can make a big difference.

• The payoff for having good character is that it makes you a better person and it makes the world a better place.

Courtesy of the Good Character organization.


Character in word and deed defines the quality of person we are. Now that we have a better understanding of what character is, let’s do all we can to acquire it, demonstrate it in our lives, teach it to our children and communities, and teach their children and their communities. Maybe then Martin Luther King’s dream of judging by character instead of skin color will finally come true. Good character may just be the door-opener people need to get ahead in life and at work, and now we all know how to get it. Let this become an epidemic!