Motivational Quotes

Character

That which we call character is a reserved force which acts directly by presence, and without means. It is conceived of as a certain undemonstrable force, a familiar or genius, by whose impulses the man is guided, but whose counsels he cannot impart.

- Emerson, Ralph Waldo

Best Quotes about Character

Men show their character in nothing more clearly than what they think laughable.

Goethe, Johann Wolfgang Von

Character is simply habit long continued.

Plutarch

As fire when thrown into water is cooled down and put out, so also a false accusation when brought against a man of the purest and holiest character, boils over and is at once dissipated, and vanishes and threats of heaven and sea, himself standing unmoved.

Cicero, Marcus T.

Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.

Abraham Lincoln

You can preach a better sermon with your life than with your lips.

Goldsmith, Oliver

Character, not circumstances, makes the man.

Washington, Booker T.

Be more concerned with your character than your reputation. Your character is what you really are while your reputation is merely what others think you are.

Wooden, John

Those who cross the sea change only the climate, not their character.

Horace

Strong characters are brought out by change of situation, and gentle ones by permanence.

Richter, Jean Paul

10.

Talents are best nurtured in solitude. Character is best formed in the stormy billows of the world.

Goethe, Johann Wolfgang Von

11.

There is no greater index of character so sure as the voice.

Disraeli, Benjamin

12.

I take it as a man's duty to restrain himself.

Lois McMaster Bujold

13.

We falsely attribute to men a determined character -- putting together all their yesterdays -- and averaging them -- we presume we know them. Pity the man who has character to support -- it is worse than a large family -- he is the silent poor indeed.

Thoreau, Henry David

14.

A man's character is his fate.

Heraclitus

15.

Wherever man goes to dwell his character goes with him.

Proverb, African

16.

Character is that which reveals moral purpose, exposing the class of things a man chooses or avoids.

Aristotle

17.

I have only got down on to paper, really, three types of people: the person I think I am, the people who irritate me, and the people I'd like to be.

Forster, Edward M.

18.

Character - the willingness to accept responsibility for one's own life - is the source from which self respect springs.

Joan Didion

19.

You are not very good if you are not better than your best friends imagine you to be.

Lavater, Johann Kaspar

20.

The higher character a person supports the more they should regard their smallest actions.

21.

The measure of a man's real character is what he would do if he knew he would never be found out.

Macaulay, Thomas B.

22.

The lord will not hold back the promises, even if the person who makes them is not worthy.

23.

A person reveals his character by nothing so clearly as the joke he resents.

Georg Christoph Lichtenberg

24.

When about to commit a base deed, respect thyself, though there is no witness.

Ausonius, Decimus Magnus

25.

Men of genius are admired, men of wealth are envied, men of power are feared; but only men of character are trusted.

26.

If anyone tells you someone has changed their character; don't believe it.

Mohammed

27.

Wealth stays with us a little moment if at all: only our characters are steadfast, not our gold.

Euripides

28.

The four cornerstones of character on which the structure of this nation was built are: initiative, imagination, individuality, and independence.

Rickenbacker, Edward Vernon

29.

Gross and obscure natures, however decorated, seem impure shambles; but character gives splendor to youth, and awe to wrinkled skin and gray hairs.

Emerson, Ralph Waldo

30.

We know but a few men, a great many coats and breeches.

Thoreau, Henry David

31.

Clear conscience never fears midnight knocking.

Proverb, Chinese

32.

You must look into people, as well as at them.

Chesterfield, Lord

33.

Character is higher than intellect. A great soul will be strong to live as well as think.

Emerson, Ralph Waldo

34.

Character is formed in the stormy billows of the world.

Goethe, Johann Wolfgang Von

35.

Men show their characters in nothing more clearly than in what they think laughable.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

36.

Temperance is a tree which as for its root very little contentment, and for its fruit calm and peace.

Buddha

37.

Character is the indelible mark that determines the only true value of all people and all their work.

Marden, Orison Swett

38.

If a man character is to be abused there's nobody like a relative to do the business.

Thackeray, William M.

39.

What you possess in the world will be found at the day of your death to belong to someone else. But what you are will be yours forever.

Dyke, Henry Van

40.

The formation of one's character ought to be everyone's chief aim.

Goethe, Johann Wolfgang Von

41.

Judge of your natural character by what you do in dreams.

Emerson, Ralph Waldo

42.

Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny.

43.

It is not what he had, or even what he does which expresses the worth of a man, but what he is.

Amiel, Henri Frederic

44.

Too often the strong, silent man is silent only because he does not know what to say, and is reputed strong only because he has remained silent.

Churchill, Winston

45.

If all I'm remembered for is being a good basketball player, then I've done a bad job with the rest of my life.

Thomas, Isiah

46.

While an original is always hard to find, he is easy to recognize.

Mason, John L.

47.

A man with a so-called character is often a simple piece of mechanism; he has often only one point of view for the extremely complicated relationships of life.

Strindberg, J. August

48.

My father told me that if you saw a man in a Rolls Royce you could be sure he was not a gentleman unless he was the chauffeur.

Arran, Earl of

49.

Good character is like a rubber ball -- thrown down hard -- it bounces right back. Good reputation is like a crystal ball -- thrown for gain -- shattered and cracked.

Linall Jr. A. L.

50.

A rich man has no need of character.

Proverb, Hebrew