what is true character
“The ultimate measure of man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
- Martin Luther King
Convenience and comfort don’t reveal character. It is in desperate times, one truly identifies one’s true character. It applies to the good and the bad. Same way, we can identify the good and bad people in life when you are met with difficulties and challenges.
We may not know how capable we are until there're some challenges waiting for us. We would be astonished to see the changes inside us after life’s turbulences.
The measure of any individual is in how good they are in the light of troubles and challenges. It doesn’t end here. The stand we take during difficult times also reveals our measure.
Where we stand despite what’s happening in life is important to assess ourselves.
You can change for the good or for the bad. In the same way, you can either take a stand or stay put. Normally, it wouldn’t be a matter. But in challenging and difficult times, the stand you take and the shades you pick a matter.
What if a person takes a bad side or bad stand? Whatever they did before will not matter. What they did today will matter. So if they choose badly, it means everyone will know who they were inside all this time.
What if a person understands what’s right and takes the stand? Whatever bad they did in the past can be undone with a good deed they chose today. We will know who the person truly is on the inside.
True-Character reveals itself at some point!
Our Character is what we do when we think no one is looking - Karl Schonhausen Bismarck
Our character is determined by two aspects. First, the character is about who we are when people are around and looking at us. Second, the character is who we are when there is no one looking at us.
It’s easy to cover a character when people are around. But a true character reveals only when there are no people to look at us.
In simple terms, not all who smile at you are good. Not all who don’t smile at you are bad.
If I can be the same person even when there is no one looking, then that will be my true character. Instead, if I become someone else when people are not looking, then that is my true character. It’s not the one I show before people.
The main reason you and I miss out is by quick judgments we make. People who seem to be so tough with others on the outside could be a real genuine person. The one who has a sweet tongue can be the bad one. The attention-seeking ones will behave differently and don’t mean they are bad. The silent ones stay away and don’t mean they are good.
Character is exciting and a mysterious phenomenon.
People will either show who they really are or they show what they want other people to see. There is good for it and bad to it.
The conclusion here is:
Be good. Keep your Morales. Be the same and be yourself even if people are not looking at you.