Motivational Quotes

Character

You can buy a person's time; you can buy their physical presence at a given place; you can even buy a measured number of their skilled muscular motions per hour. But you can not buy enthusiasm... you can not buy loyalty. You can not buy the devotion of hearts, minds, or souls. You must earn these.

- Francis, Clarence

Best Quotes about Character

People seem not to see that their opinion of the world is also a confession of character.

Emerson, Ralph Waldo

I would rather be adorned by beauty of character than jewels. Jewels are the gift of fortune, while character comes from within.

Plautus, Titus Maccius

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

Marden, Orison Swett

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

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

As a man thinks in his heart, so is he. [Proverbs 23:7]

Bible

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

Ausonius, Decimus Magnus

Weakness of character is the only defect which cannot be amended.

La Rochefoucauld, Francois De

Fame is what you have taken, character is what you give. When to this truth you awaken, then you begin to live.

Taylor, Bayard

Too many lives are needed to make just one.

Montale, Eugenio

10.

It takes a great deal of character strength to apologize quickly out of one's heart rather than out of pity. A person must possess himself and have a deep sense of security in fundamental principles and values in order to genuinely apologize.

Covey, Stephen R.

11.

A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you, and were helped by you, will remember you when forget-me-nots are withered. Carve your name on hearts, and not on marble

Spurgeon, Charles Haddon

12.

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.

13.

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

Buddha

14.

When God measures man, He puts the tape around his heart -- not his head.

Guideposts

15.

A man never discloses his own character so clearly as when he describes another s.

Richter, Jean Paul

16.

Reputation is only a candle, of wavering and uncertain flame, and easily blown out, but it is the light by which the world looks for and finds merit.

Lowell, James Russell

17.

Francis, Clarence

18.

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

19.

Character is the result of a system of stereotyped principles.

Hume, David

20.

It is with trifles and when he is off guard that a man best reveals his character.

Schopenhauer, Arthur

21.

While he was not as dumb as an ox, he was not any smarter either.

Thurber, James

22.

Your character will be what you yourself choose to make it.

Lubbock, Sir John

23.

Nothing marks the character of a young man more than failure.

24.

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

25.

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

26.

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.

27.

Testimony is like an arrow shot from a long bow and the force of it depends on the strength of the arm from which it was shot. Argument is like a bullet fired from a gun and has equal force even when issued from a child.

28.

The superior man will watch over himself when he is alone. He examines his heart that there may be nothing wrong there, and that he may have no cause of dissatisfaction with himself.

Confucius

29.

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

Goethe, Johann Wolfgang Von

30.

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

Chesterfield, Lord

31.

Instill the love of you into all the world, for a good character is what is remembered.

Merikare

32.

There is never a better measure of what a person is than what he does when he is absolutely free to choose.

Bulger, William M.

33.

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

Mason, John L.

34.

Character is formed in the stormy billows of the world.

Goethe, Johann Wolfgang Von

35.

Surmounting difficulty is the crucible that forms character.

Robbins, Anthony

36.

How difficult it is to save the bark of reputation from the rocks of ignorance.

Petrarch, Francesco

37.

Characters do not change. Opinions alter, but characters are only developed.

Disraeli, Benjamin

38.

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

39.

Life every man holds dear; but the dear man holds honor far more precious dear than life.

Shakespeare, William

40.

Character, in great and little things, means carrying through what you feel able to do.

Goethe, Johann Wolfgang Von

41.

Character in a saint means the disposition of Jesus Christ persistently manifested.

Chambers, Oswald

42.

Character develops itself in the stream of life.

Goethe, Johann Wolfgang Von

43.

Character is like the foundation of a house -- it is below the surface.

44.

Good character is more to be praised than outstanding talent. Most talents are, to some extent, a gift. Good character, by contrast, is not given to us. We have to build it piece by piece-by thought, choice, courage and determination.

Luther, John

45.

Property may be destroyed and money may lose its purchasing power; but, character, health, knowledge and good judgment will always be in demand under all conditions.

Babson, Roger

46.

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

47.

A man's character is the reality of himself; his reputation, the opinion others have formed about him; character resides in him, reputation in other people; that is the substance, this is the shadow.

Beecher, Henry Ward

48.

Forming characters! Whose? Our own or others? Both. And in that momentous fact lies the peril and responsibility of our existence.

Elihu Burritt

49.

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

50.

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