Character

Your character is your set of core values, your guiding principle for your life. Your character defines you—it determines how you navigate through your world, build relationships, and make decisions. People with a strong, genuine character can be an inspiration to those around them.

You can learn about someone’s character by watching them, seeing how they interact with others and deal with events and life, and by their conduct. Do they treat other people with respect? Do they put somebody down to make themselves appear more important or successful? Do they make negative comments about their competition, personal or in business? Do they blame others for their own mistakes or failures? How do they react to criticism? Do they listen when you talk?

Who are you? What’s your character, and how are you built?

• Daring. Are you willing to try things?
• Ethical. Do you abide by the rules?
• Faithful. I don’t understand infidelity. I’m sorry. One thing I really don’t understand is how somebody does not respect another person. I totally get that relationships might not work out, and you don’t want to be with someone anymore, but you need to honor the other person and do what you need to do without cheating on them.
• Honest. You need to be honest and honorable in your relationships, both business and personal.
• Principled. Do you have virtue? Moral principles?
• Proud. Do you think so highly of yourself that you’re unwilling to learn or grow?
• Relentless. Do you have what it takes to do what it takes?
  

You are born with most of your character traits, but studies show that you can change. Become aware of yourself, how you treat people, how you deal with difficult situations, and how you react to advice or suggestions. Understand your natural character traits, so you know what works for you and what doesn’t. By seeing what’s holding you back or causing you harm, you can work on changing the way you think and behave. Remember, it’s not about being perfect, it’s about striving to be the best version of yourself.

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Help somebody who you have no reason to help. Help them because you want to help them, not because you’ve figured out there’s something in it for you to benefit from. That’s character. If you don’t have good character, we all know that you’re not going to make it! People can see that. How do you make people feel? For me, I want people to feel:

 Safe     Valued      Important     Respected

It started with my wife—it was so personal to me and I vowed to make her always feel that way. But it’s evolved because I realize this has to do with anybody that I have a relationship with. That’s how I have to make them feel.
—Mike Holt

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