Motivational Quotes

Character

Character, not circumstances, makes the man.

- Washington, Booker T.

Best Quotes about Character

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

Schopenhauer, Arthur

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.

For character too is a process and an unfolding... among our valued friends is there not someone or other who is a little too self confident and disdainful; whose distinguished mind is a little spotted with commonness; who is a little pinched here and protuberant there with native prejudices; or whose better energies are liable to lapse down the wrong channel under the influence of transient solicitations?

Eliot, George

Character is the impulse reined down into steady continuance.

Parkhurst, Charles H.

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

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

Merikare

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.

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

Richards, Mary Caroline

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

Ausonius, Decimus Magnus

10.

A rich man has no need of character.

Proverb, Hebrew

11.

No artist work is so high, so noble, so grand, so enduring, so important for all time, as the making of character in a child.

Cushman, Charlotte Saunders

12.

Not to be cheered by praise, not to be grieved by blame, but to know thoroughly ones own virtues or powers are the characteristics of an excellent man.

Pandita, Saskya

13.

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

Thurber, James

14.

Though intelligence is powerless to modify character, it is a dab hand at finding euphemisms for its weaknesses.

Crisp, Quentin

15.

Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experiences of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired and success achieved.

Keller, Helen

16.

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

Elihu Burritt

17.

Some people are born hammers, others anvils.

Proverb

18.

The hell to be endured hereafter, of which theology tells, is no worse than the hell we make for ourselves in this world by habitually fashioned our characters in the wrong way.

James, William

19.

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

20.

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

Disraeli, Benjamin

21.

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

Mohammed

22.

Integrity has no need of rules.

Camus, Albert

23.

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

Bovee, Christian Nevell

24.

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

25.

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

26.

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

27.

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

Lavater, Johann Kaspar

28.

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

29.

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

30.

Character is our destiny.

Heraclitus

31.

If I were to try to read, much less answer, all the attacks made on me, this shop might as well be closed for any other business. I do the very best I know how -- the very best I can. And I mean to keep on doing it to the end. If the end brings me out all right, what is said against me will not amount to anything. If the end brings me out all wrong, ten angels swearing I was right would make no difference.

Lincoln, Abraham

32.

A man without ethics is a wild beast loosed upon this world.

Hall, Manly

33.

You can't go around hoping that most people have sterling moral characters. The most you can hope for is that people will pretend that they do.

Lebowitz, Fran

34.

Before you advise anyone Be yourself! reassess his character.

35.

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

36.

Keep in mind that the true measure of an individual is how he treats a person who can do him absolutely no good.

Landers, Ann

37.

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

Frankfurter, Felix

38.

The quality of strength lined with tenderness is an unbeatable combination, as are intelligence and necessity when unblunted by formal education.

Angelou, Maya

39.

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

Aristotle

40.

Therefore keep in the midst of life. Do not isolate yourself. Be among men and things, and among troubles, and difficulties, and obstacles.

Drummond, Henry

41.

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

Marden, Orison Swett

42.

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

Reynolds, Sir Joshua

43.

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

Chambers, Oswald

44.

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

Horace

45.

I have often thought the best way to define a man's character would be to seek out the particular mental or moral attitude in which, when it comes upon him, he felt himself most deeply and intensely active and alive. At such moments there is a voice inside which speaks and says: This is the real me!.

James, William

46.

Character is made by many acts; it may be lost by a single one.

47.

In attempts to improve your character, know what is in your power and what is beyond it.

Francis Thompson

48.

Character builds slowly, but it can be torn down with incredible swiftness.

Baldwin, Faith

49.

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

Buddha