How to Save Us from Ourselves

9 Character Qualities That Matter for All of Us

I’m not giving up hope on humanity even though I sometimes look around and wonder the same thing our ancestors thought, “We’re screwed.”

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Welcome to humanity. Most of us agree the world can seem nasty at times. If so, most of us wonder, “How do we save the world, and what would that mean?”

My premise for this article boils down to the word “character.” It’s our character that matters as human beings. If we shared the virtues of a great person with admirable character qualities and stopped doing stupid human stuff as we’ve always done, we’d save ourselves from ourselves.

What keeps us from saving ourselves from ourselves?

We do. Some would say it’s our “stinking thinking.” I know I’ve had my fair share.

Suffering gets in the way a lot. It doesn’t matter how much money a person makes or has invested in crypto or real estate. Suffering seems to be universal unless you’re a Buddha.

We’re unique and the same if you believe in unity. I refer to what’s on the inside more than what we look like. Most of us fake what we look like; vanity can be a bitch.

Some of us are rich with money and bankrupt of spirit. Others wear robes, carry bowls for alms, and are happy as clams.

Most of us are in the middle, even if the world seems extreme.

The Solution

What’s the solution for us? It’s to become part of the solution. The first step is finding more ways to stop being part of the problem. We’re part of the problem when we ignore the Golden Rule if we could agree to save us.

It’s natural to get in our way because we, as humans, are the only animals who overthink stuff. One way to get over our attachment to stinking thinking is to model our thinking and behavior after people who possess the most character qualities we respect and admire.

In other words, we learn to be part of the solution by following the examples of our role models and knowing what makes them the way they are; character.

These would be among the world’s great leaders like Gandhi, Nelson Mandella, John F. Kennedy, Sojourner Truth, Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, and Ida B. Wells, to name several who come to mind.

We Follow Love, Not?Fear

Nobody loves following tyrants. We only do so by their ability to use fear, power, money, and terror. History shows us that we poison or whack them in their sleep and look to the next dude to run the show.

Conversely, we love following the people with the character qualities most likely shared by the incredible human beings I just named. But we don’t need to become world-famous people to make a difference.

All we need to do is work on ourselves. Working on ourselves changes how we see and relate to the people, places, and things we encounter during our short journey. It’s a day-by-day thing as we learn to love the now.

Role models matter. Everyone matters as we learn to work and live better together.

It’s time for us to get along better, I suppose. We have to change from within based on our experience.

The Heart, Mind, and Character of Founders and Leaders?Matter

“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

Character is the essence of our being. Character is what helps us the most when the business of life spins out of control. I believe the more we improve our character, the more we improve our quality of life. The more we improve our quality of life, the easier it is to share the wealth.

Therefore, the more we improve our character, the more value and potential we create for others. Here is a short list of people, in random order as I researched them, who demonstrated character qualities worthy of our modeling:

• Mahatma Gandhi — Known for leading India to independence through nonviolent civil disobedience, Gandhi is admired for his resilience, peacefulness, humility, and commitment to justice and equality.
• Martin Luther King Jr. — A leader in the American civil rights movement, King is admired for his eloquence, courage, peacefulness, and unwavering commitment to racial equality.
• Nelson Mandela — South Africa’s first black President who helped end apartheid, Mandela is admired for his courage, patience (having been imprisoned for 27 years), forgiveness, and dedication to racial reconciliation and equality.
• Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama) — The founder of Buddhism, Buddha is admired for his wisdom, mindfulness, inner peace, and commitment to enlightenment to alleviate suffering.
• Confucius — An influential Chinese philosopher, Confucius is admired for his wisdom, ethics, respect for tradition, and emphasis on personal and governmental morality.
• Mother Teresa — A Roman Catholic nun dedicated to serving the poor, Mother Theresa is admired for her humility, compassion, selflessness, and devotion to charity.
• Socrates — An ancient Greek philosopher who made significant contributions to Western philosophy, Socrates is admired for his wisdom, intellectual curiosity, humility (expressed in his statement, “I know that I know nothing”), and commitment to pursuing truth and virtue.
• Saint Francis of Assisi — Known for his love for all creatures and his voluntary poverty, Saint Francis is admired for his humility, compassion, simplicity, and deep connection with nature.
• Rumi — A 13th-century Persian poet, Islamic jurist, and theologian, Rumi is admired for his profound wisdom, mystical insights, poetry that transcends religious and cultural boundaries, and emphasis on universal love and the pursuit of inner peace.
• Joan of Arc — A French heroine and Catholic saint who led the French army to victory in the Hundred Years’ War, Joan of Arc is admired for her courage, faith, determination, and commitment to her country.

We all can improve ourselves, given the desire and commitment. Follow the best leaders who we admire.

Why Character Matters

In personal development and psychology, character refers to the mental and moral qualities that define us. These qualities include honesty, courage, integrity, resilience, and other personal ethics and values we uphold.

That’s one reason Abraham Lincoln said, “Character is like a tree and reputation its shadow. The shadow is what we think it is, and the tree is the real thing.”

Our character is how we show up in the world, what determines our legacy and quality of life.

9 Character Qualities That Count the?Most

Here are the nine character qualities I’ve selected that we can value and develop. It’s bold of me to claim these are the “most” essential character qualities to save us from ourselves, but if I could choose only nine, these would be the ones I choose.

Here are the nine character qualities I’ve selected that we can value and develop. I choose them because of my respect and admiration for the work of Thomas J. Stanley , whom I’ve studied and known about for several decades. His academic and written work focuses on the characteristics shared by millionaires. It’s his research that leads me to share this list.

1. Resilience. To quote the acclaimed Amazon founder, Jeff Bezos, “I knew that if I failed, I wouldn’t regret that, but I knew the one thing I might regret is not trying.” Resilience is the capacity to bounce back from failure, maintaining your forward momentum despite inevitable setbacks. You can learn to bounce back from anything if your purpose is big enough.
2. Vision. “The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do,” said Steve Jobs, co-founder of Apple Inc. A clear, compelling vision is a non-negotiable quality for a successful founder. This vision serves as the North Star, guiding them amidst the most turbulent storms. Founders must learn to focus on one thing.
3. Passion. Google’s co-founder, Larry Page, said, “You don’t need to have a 100-person company to develop that idea.” The underlying message is that passion, not size or resources, drives any successful venture. It fuels resilience, sharpens the vision, and keeps us motivated during the arduous journey.
4. Discipline. As Stanley points out in his book, most wealthy individuals are diligent savers and investors. This discipline allows us to capitalize on opportunities and weather financial downturns. Discipline extends to time, resources, and energy management.
5. Risk-Tolerance. No less a figure than Mark Zuckerberg opined, “The biggest risk is not taking any risk… In a world that’s changing quickly, the only strategy guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.” The ability to assess and take calculated risks is a crucial differentiator for successful founders.
6. Adaptability. Reid Hoffman, the co-founder of LinkedIn, famously said, “An entrepreneur is someone who jumps off a cliff and builds a plane on the way down.” This encapsulates the essence of adaptability. The ability to pivot, to shift gears rapidly when circumstances demand, is vital in today’s ever-changing business landscape.
7. Humility. In Thomas J. Stanley’s research, a striking characteristic of the affluent was their humility. They understand the limits of their knowledge and are open to learning from others. As the legendary investor Warren Buffet said, “It’s better to hang out with people better than you… you’ll drift in that direction.”
8. Integrity. “Trust is the glue of life,” wrote Stephen Covey. “It’s the foundational principle that holds all relationships.” No success is worth achieving if it comes at the expense of one’s integrity. Successful founders understand the importance of maintaining honesty and transparency and creating trust-based relationships with their stakeholders.
9. Persistence. Finally, in the immortal words of Thomas Edison, “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is to try just once more.” The road to success is long and often fraught with obstacles. It’s the persistent spirit that distinguishes successful founders from the crowd.

Character Development Is a Process, Not an?Event

In conclusion, these nine qualities are virtues deeply ingrained in the people we tend to love and remember the most. They’re the cornerstones of any family, venture, community, and nation. Character shapes our destiny.

Cultivating these qualities is not a one-time event but a lifelong process. Strive not only to adopt these qualities but to embody them. Remember, the journey is as important as the destination, and these qualities will guide you, give you strength when times get tough, and ultimately steer you toward success.

You’re crafting a masterpiece; yourself. Your mind, character, passion, vision, and resilience will expand as you grow. Remember who you are and what you stand for because these qualities define you for the rest of your life.

Our character becomes our legacy whether we learn to be good or not.

This article was originally published on Medium. Clifford “Cliff” Jones is a partner in a commercial real estate investment, development, and consulting firm based in Scottsdale, Arizona. When not serving investors, his purpose is being a great student, writing about the art of human transformation, and coaching business owners and leaders. Subscribe to The Clarity Letter? on Substack by clicking here .