The Importance of Character Essay Example for Free

The Importance of Character Essay According to Booker T. Washington, American educator and civil rights activist (1856-1915) â€Å"Character, not circumstance, makes the person† – it is the things you choose to do that shape your personality and develop good character. Your character is the deciding factor of what you choose to do in any circumstance. Character is built throughout a person’s lifetime and often what you learn as a teenager is what is used to lay the foundation of your adult self. Self-control builds character. As human beings, each of us has desires – some of them innocent; others morally wrong. Humans are the only animals who are actually able to make individual choices. Making the right choice is a feature of self-control. You may not always get what you want when you want it but the presence of self-control means you are able to wait patiently. Citizenship is a way for a person to give back to their community. It is important not only for the good of the community, but for the good of the individual. It teaches cooperation and selflessness in that giving back to those who support you is a way to build your own character. Patriotism goes hand in hand with citizenship except that it involves not only the good of the community, but of the nation that we are fortunate enough to live in. The nation must be protected so that the rights of its people are also protected. Being involved with the community and the nation is a great way to keep a teenager involved in worthwhile activities. Honesty is a trait found in those of strong character. At times it is hard to be honest but the development of character means doing the right thing, no matter the cost or pain to yourself. To fully enjoy relationships with others, you must care enough about them to promise nothing less than honesty. Lying is easy; facing the truth and stating it without fear is often the harder, less traveled road to take. The concept of fairness means that you need to treat all people as equals. Give others the benefit of the doubt and assume they are being honest. It shows your own good character to treat others the same as you expect to be treated. Courage is a component of all the aspects of a person’s character. Only with courage can you speak the truth, do what is morally right and live up to your own high expectations of the type of person you should be. There is no one thing that makes a person’s character. Strong character is a mixed bag of admirable traits, any of which can be pulled up and relied upon when necessary. It is character that will see a person through the toughest of times knowing that he is able to rely on his own self-control, honesty, courage and sense of fairness to do what is right, not only for himself but in service of his community, and nation.