Motivational Quotes

Character

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

Best Quotes about Character

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

Michener, James A.

Temperance is simply a disposition of the mind which binds the passion.

Aquinas, St. Thomas

People with courage and character always seem sinister to the rest.

Hermann Hesse

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

An excellent man, like precious metal, is in every way invariable; A villain, like the beams of a balance, is always varying, upwards and downwards, himself his own dungeon.

Pandita, Saskya

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

Francis Thompson

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

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

Thurber, James

Character is our destiny.

Heraclitus

10.

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

Ausonius, Decimus Magnus

11.

To be fond of learning is near to wisdom; to practice with vigor is near to benevolence; and to be conscious of shame is near to fortitude. He who knows these three things

Confucius

12.

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

Baldwin, Faith

13.

A man's character is his fate.

Heraclitus

14.

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

Lois McMaster Bujold

15.

The character of every act depends upon the circumstances in which it is done.

Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.

16.

Character is what you know you are, not what others think you have.

Collins, Marva

17.

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

18.

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

Ralph Waldo Emerson

19.

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

Joan Didion

20.

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

Bible

21.

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

22.

Character is always lost when a high ideal is sacrificed on the altar of conformity and popularity.

23.

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

Lavater, Johann Kaspar

24.

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

25.

Wherever man goes to dwell his character goes with him.

Proverb, African

26.

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

27.

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

Merikare

28.

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

Chesterfield, Lord

29.

He that has light within his own clear breast may sit in the center, and enjoy bright day: But he that hides a dark soul and foul thoughts benighted walks under the mid-day sun;

Milton, John

30.

Our character is basically a composite of our habits. Because they are consistent, often unconcious patterns, they constantly, daily, express our character

Covey, Stephen R.

31.

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.

32.

You can tell the character of every man when you see how he receives praise.

Seneca

33.

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

Disraeli, Benjamin

34.

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

35.

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

Emerson, Ralph Waldo

36.

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

Georg Christoph Lichtenberg

37.

One can easily judge the character of a person by the way they treat people who can do nothing for them.

Proverb

38.

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

Guideposts

39.

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

40.

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

Solon

41.

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

Angelou, Maya

42.

Before you advise anyone Be yourself! reassess his character.

43.

Character isn't something you were born with and can't change, like your fingerprints. It's something you weren't born with and must take responsibility for forming.

Rohn, Jim

44.

Character contributes to beauty. It fortifies a woman as her youth fades.

Bisset, Jacqueline

45.

A rich man has no need of character.

Proverb, Hebrew

46.

You cannot dream yourself into a character; you must hammer and forge yourself one.

James A. Froude

47.

There's a fine line between character building and soul destroying.

Hay, Colin

48.

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.

49.

It isn't the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog, that counts.

Howell, Harry

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