In our daily life, we face many challenges, each of a different type, at a different time and in a different manner. Everything is different, but the only thing common among all is us. How we react to these challenges depends on the kind of character we have.

If we have positive and proactive character, only then we will be able to successfully overcome our challenges and be rewarded at the end. All that we do in life and all that happens to us depends a great deal on us. And it is our character that defines us.

Character is the part of our personality which isn’t highlighted much but it still is important. According to Oxford English Dictionary, character is defined as, “The mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual.” This means that all the good and bad we possess physically or mentally are part of our character. Now most of us would be linking ‘character’ with ‘personality’, but in reality both are two different things.

Personality means the traits that are present in us from the time we were born, whereas character is the behaviour we learn from our surroundings. According to research, character is comprised of six things. For easy clarification, we can say that there is a house named Character, which is standing on six pillars, each with a different meaning and job.

Let us see what these pillars really are.

Trustworthiness

Trustworthiness is derived from the root ‘trust’. It means that others can rely on you and that you are honest. Being able to maintain trust isn’t as easy as it seems, but one easily do that if they have a clean heart.

This quality is also the basis on which you will build the other pillars of you house of character. But trustworthiness isn’t something you can attain overnight, it takes time for people to see and realise that you are the kind of person who can be trusted and depended upon. And if once you break someone’s trust, it will take a lot of time and effort from you to gain their trust again.

Respect

As they say, “Give respect, earn respect”, so you should also follow this doctrine. It is by giving respect to others that a person is able to get respect in return. All human beings are equal and should not be treated differently due to external factors such as race, education, wealth, beauty, fame or anything else.

If our behaviour is good, then we will automatically gain respect.

Responsibility

Responsibility is also related to trustworthiness. If you are trustworthy, only then you will be assigned a responsibility as people will consider you to be the kind of person who will fulfil the task they are assigned.

An irresponsible person will also not be considered a trustworthy person so these two qualities of a person’s character go hand in hand. Therefore, make sure you perform your responsibilities well.

Fairness

Well, it is obvious that if you are being just with others, they will be fair with you as well. Being fair also means that you stand against others who are unfair. So support justice as it will support you in making your fourth pillar.

Caring

We all must have heard the quote “Sharing is caring”. This means that if you care for someone or something, you are naturally going to share or give them your affection, time, help and anything else, that may be material too. But giving something to others isn’t a sign of genuine care, because it is not what you give, but how to give that shows your sincerity.

A perfect example is the case where an expensive gift to a friend may not really hold as much meaning, to both the giver and the receiver, as something inexpensive that is handmade and selected with a lot of thought about the likes, dislikes and needs of the person receiving it. Genuine feelings are easily perceived by others through vibes that we send and we can’t always fake it.

Citizenship

The last and final pillar is citizenship. Citizenship means that you are proud of belonging to any community, country or society. It also means that you endeavour to serving your community and think about its benefit just as you would about your own. It required you to first give back something — by way of service, effort, allegiance, or anything material — for its prosperity and betterment, and only then consider it your right to belong to it. Just as we should think of what we can do for our country rather than what our country is doing for us.

This correct sense of citizenship is missing in many people these days, who seem to focus on all the ills of society or a country, without even making the slightest effort to fix the problems.

Not that you have been introduced to these pillar that form our character, in a good way, all you need now is a roof and that roof is going to be made out of all the good things that will happen to you. And don’t worry if any of the pillars fall, you can always reconstruct it. But as you know, when something breaks, the cracks remain, so try not to let any of the pillars fall, for character is a very delicate thing. At the end, we have to conclude that character really counts and we all should have a good character.

Published in Dawn, Young World, September 26th, 2020