My buddy Sam and I recently had a conversation about the unique qualities associated with a person possessing a strong moral character, or as he coined the phrase, “force of character”. People with noble intentions are found everywhere, but people with “force of character” stand out from the crowd. As the fire inside the rest of us flickers from gusts of indecision, these minds usually burn bright and rise above the storm while confidently pressing forward. They seem to know the secret for personal success. This buried secret also indirectly draws in the individual regard and respect of others.
Most of us start off with a similar set of good intentions. So what do people with “force of character” do differently? What is their secret to success? I think it comes down to one thing and one thing alone. They consciously think before they act, and when the decision is made to act, they always take full ownership of their actions. They immediately reap the benefits of their successful acts, but also quickly and openly address those that went awry. Possessing “force of character” means dependably taking responsibility for your own actions, even when the outcome is negative.
Negative actions are initial failures, but they are not long term failures unless they are ignored. When strong moral value and good intent is combined with failure, a resolution is always found. Remember that most headline news is generally bad news, even when it’s scaled down into small social circles. By honestly addressing the effects of a negative action you visibly sooth the minds of anyone affected, thus turning bad news into good news. Everyone respects honesty. It’s easy for someone to take ownership of success, but when the headlines read “failure” only those possessing “force of character” have the influential capacity to shine.
Someonetc says
well said young man. this was a very wise post.
Shilpan | successsoul.com says
This is very thoughtful. We, humans, have a distinct advantage of parsing our thoughts and choose our actions. In the end, our actions make our character.
Shilpan
http://www.successsoul.com/blog/
Max says
Hey, love your blog/work already. Just discovered your site today.
It was after Googling: “force of character” (your site was near or at the top for the returned hit results!)-,….
but actually my personal search was in regards to an excellent book I am reading (actually listening to on tape which are absolutely excellent esp. for auditory learners or people in time-crunches)…called ‘Force of Character’ by James Hillman.
It is a lost treasure trove of important,timely and pertinent information esp. pertinent to the day and age in which we live.
I encourage all people and readers who espouse or desire to attain any level of satisfaction from having achieved success to seek it out.
This book is so far removed from run of the mill stir your oatmeal and take one day at a time self help clap-trap… it will irrevocably alter the way you view your life. Books that posses this type of power are extremely rare and very few actually have it compacted so densely.
Again, the book is called ‘The Force of Character’ by James Hillman.
Thank you for reading. Great look to your blog btw and looks like some terrific information. KUTGW!