Motivational Quotes

Character

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

Best Quotes about Character

Character is simply habit long continued.

Plutarch

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

Mason, John L.

The real character of a man is found out by his amusements.

Reynolds, Sir Joshua

Underneath this flabby exterior is an enormous lack of character.

Oscar Levant

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

Horace

Character, not circumstances, makes the man.

Washington, Booker T.

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

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

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.

10.

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

Goldsmith, Oliver

11.

Pity the man who has a character to support --it is worse than a large family -- he is silent poor indeed.

Thoreau, Henry David

12.

To keep your character intact you cannot stoop to filthy acts. It makes it easier to stoop the next time.

Hepburn, Katharine

13.

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

Richter, Jean Paul

14.

Fame is a vapor, popularity an accident, and riches take wings. Only one thing endures and that is character.

Greeley, Horace

15.

The highest qualities of character must be earned.

Abbott, Lyman

16.

The best index to a person's character is (a) how he treats people who can't do him any good, and (b) how he treats people who can't fight back.

Buren, Abigail Van

17.

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

Ausonius, Decimus Magnus

18.

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

Disraeli, Benjamin

19.

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

Petrarch, Francesco

20.

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

21.

You don't get in life what you want; you get in life what you are.

Brown, Les

22.

Character is victory organized.

Bonaparte, Napoleon

23.

If an ass goes traveling it will not come home a horse.

Proverb

24.

If you create an act, you create a habit. If you create a habit, you create a character. If you create a character, you create a destiny.

Maurois, Andre

25.

Character consists of what you do on the third and fourth tries.

Michener, James A.

26.

All men are alike in their lower natures; it is in their higher characters that they differ.

Bovee, Christian Nevell

27.

Too many lives are needed to make just one.

Montale, Eugenio

28.

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

29.

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

Buddha

30.

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

Thoreau, Henry David

31.

It is part of the American character to consider nothing as desperate -- to surmount every difficulty by resolution and contrivance.

Jefferson, Thomas

32.

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

33.

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

34.

Surmounting difficulty is the crucible that forms character.

Robbins, Anthony

35.

To have character is to be big enough to take life on.

Richards, Mary Caroline

36.

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

La Rochefoucauld, Francois De

37.

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

Lubbock, Sir John

38.

Nature magically suits a man to his fortunes, by making them the fruit of his character.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

39.

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

Ralph Waldo Emerson

40.

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

41.

Old age and sickness bring out the essential characteristics of a man.

Frankfurter, Felix

42.

Character is the impulse reined down into steady continuance.

Parkhurst, Charles H.

43.

Be thou incapable of change in that which is right, and men will rely upon thee. Establish unto thyself principles of action; and see that thou ever act according to them. First know that thy principles are just, and then be thou

Akhenaton

44.

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

45.

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.

46.

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

Guideposts

47.

A rich man has no need of character.

Proverb, Hebrew

48.

Put more trust in nobility of character than in an oath.

Solon

49.

Character is another thing that is formed in youth and reformed in marriage.