Character, from the Greek word, is a term originally used for the marks imprinted on coins. Nowadays, character is known as a term to summarize all the attributes in a person, such as integrity, courage, fortitude, honesty, and loyalty. Character is the most important essence that a person may have. Strengthening character means shaping oneself to be productive within the sphere of influence of that character. Read the description below for suggestions for strengthening character or practicing moral discipline.
Step
Step 1. Know what constitutes strength in character
Strength in character means having qualities that allow you to exercise control over your instincts and passions, to master yourself, and to resist temptations that always arise. In addition, the strength in character is a mind that is free from bias and prejudice, and shows tolerance, love, and respect for others.
Step 2. Understand why character strengths are important to yourself and especially to others:
- You can do what you want freely, but you can still overcome obstacles. Strengths help you achieve your goals.
- You can reflect on the causes of misfortune, not just complain as many people tend to do.
- Strength gives you the courage to admit mistakes, carelessness, and weaknesses.
- You are able to stand tall in the face of adversity from all directions, and move forward in the midst of obstacles.
Step 3. Have empathy
The most important way to strengthen character is to show empathy for others, especially those who are weak, and love others as you love yourself. Maybe this doesn't always go smoothly so you need to evaluate motives to be able to empathize sincerely. Empathy is different from sympathy in that it requires you to put yourself in the other person's shoes and get involved as needed (step in and help smooth the way for others); while hoops imply passive emotional reactions, such as listening, staring, and imitating non-involved reactions.
Step 4. Find the truth
Prioritize logical thinking, not emotion alone. People with strong character will check all the facts in their head, and are not influenced by bias/prejudice from the heart. Solve problems with logical thinking, and don't get caught up in a mess of your own making, knowing that even without explanation, hunch, and attraction, logical thinking will be able to uncover evidence.
Step 5. Don't be pessimistic or optimistic, but leader.
Pessimists complain about the wind, optimists expect wind conditions to change, but leaders act by adjusting the sails and making sure their men are ready for any weather.
Step 6. Control irrational impulses
Aristotle and Aquinas considered that there are seven human passions: love and hate, desire and fear, joy and sadness, and anger. While good in nature, passion can overwhelm intelligence and lead us to indulge in the wrong ways, such as overeating, fearing something irrational, or drowning in sadness or anger. The answer can be sought with deep deliberation and practicing new habits to free oneself from the bondage of one's own passions. Excessive sexual desire is a sign of weak character, the ability to delay (suspend) gratification and exercise self-control is a sign of strength.
Step 7. Be happy with what you have (don't copy)
Appreciate your own worth and what you have. Imagining that the neighbor's grass is greener is a recipe for a lifetime of unhappiness. Remember, the image of other people's lives is only an assumption. It's much better if you focus on "your" own way of life.
Step 8. Have enough courage to calculate the risk
If you avoid war, you must forget about victory and the joy it brings. Don't be a coward, or stay away, or avoid duty, but dare to contribute to the progress of mankind.
Step 9. Ignore external suggestions that go against the resolution you set
Everyone thinks of their own advantage, consciously or not. Don't force your will on others, and don't let other people force their will on you. Realize and accept that everyone has different suggestions, and you can't please all of them. Find the right path, walk, don't turn right or left. Master yourself, and never leave the right path.
Step 10. Learn to do good and avoid evil
Seek peace and pursue it wholeheartedly. Do not pursue personal goals that tread on the needs of others, but pursue goals with sincere and meaningful motives that benefit society as a whole. If you seek personal gain, you will find yourself in conflict with others and ultimately failure is inevitable. If you seek the common good, all will benefit and you will also be able to fulfill personal desires.
Step 11. Learn how to master feelings
Don't let anything but logical thinking dictate your decisions in everyday life. Sometimes it can be difficult and even impossible not to give in to your feelings, but you can learn to suppress their development and overcome them by relying on common sense and good judgment.
Step 12. Don't be extravagant, don't be stingy, but in the middle
The ability to find a middle position is a sign of a strong character who is able to withstand both extremes.
Step 13. Be calm in the face of anything
Tranquility is the peace that allows you to concentrate and gather disparate thoughts and do fruitful meditation. Contemplation will bring ideas, ideas lead to opportunity, and opportunity opens the door to success. Tranquility is the sine qua non (something much needed) by strong characters. Without calm, there is no strength in character. Without calm, passion will burn easily, turn into intense desire, and block common sense. Tranquility is not the enemy of feelings, but a regulator that allows proper expression.
Step 14. Focus on the positive things in life, and don't dwell on the negative
A doctor once said to a young woman who asked for medicine for all the troubles she complained about: "Don't worry about it, it is the best medicine." Physical and mental pain can be reduced by the effort and will to direct the mind in the opposite direction, but it gets worse if you overthink it.
Step 15. Fight fatalism
Each person is responsible for his own development and destiny. Accepting fatalism means believing that fate cannot be changed so that there is no willingness to take the initiative to improve life and self. Fate is blind and deaf, he can neither hear nor see. Instead, remember that fixing adversity and improving destiny are ways to strengthen character and improve the quality of life. Strive for your own happiness, don't wait for someone else or something to make you happy because it will never happen, only persistence can.
Step 16. Be patient
You must be patient in setting, maintaining, and pursuing a short, medium, or long term goal of progress (success). Success is progress, not the end goal. Individuals with strong characters will not give up when faced with obstacles, but will persevere to the end and overcome all obstacles. Learn to delay gratification, learn to wait as part of progress, and learn that time is a friend, a time to learn, practice, and see progress. Patience also helps you know what is worth fighting for, and when to let things go as they are. Sometimes letting go is accepting the gift of life, not holding on to a sinking ship.
Step 17. Overcome all fears
Fear is a barrier to success. Don't stop just because of a hunch based on superficial observations, but accept facts that are based on common sense. Do not build a foundation of sand, but of stone. Once your fears are overcome, you will have a strong character to think, resolve, and win.
Step 18. Get rid of distracting thoughts that reduce power, just like a farmer who has to pull all the grass to plant rice
Control excessive emotions and return to their own function. Whenever your mind is filled with overwhelming emotions, immediately occupied yourself with something else for 15 minutes to 1 hour. Many great warriors have lost their lives by reacting too vigorously to insults and fighting prematurely against insults without adequate preparation, relying solely on heat of the heart. Learn to overcome such weaknesses through practice, keeping in mind that anger is an attribute that many people with weak characters have.
Step 19. Practice calmness, caution, wisdom, and wisdom in business.
Develop the mind with logic and conduct business with that spirit.
Step 20. Prioritize honesty in all things and aspects of life
If you're not being honest, you're actually not being honest with yourself, and that destroys character.
Step 21. Be the first anywhere, and put your best effort into everything you do
Enjoy hard work, and don't be idle. With the same attitude, learn to enjoy quality free time as a way to refresh yourself and inspire you to come back to the positive.
Tips
- Stick to your own words and resist the urge to lie, honesty will polish character. Also, learn to be a decision maker.
- Have self-discipline and control. Get rid of negative impulses (including work or destructive actions that you will regret) and obsessive compulsive attitudes that become habits and damage character.
- Do not forget to be happy. Happiness is healthy. Happiness gives you the strength to overcome the monotony of life and drive away boredom. You will be able to enjoy many things. Happiness is a mindset. There are studies that observe that there are more smiles on the faces of simple people than on the faces of wealthy bankers.
- Do physical exercise to build endurance. Mind and body are interconnected. So, practice physical endurance to strengthen mental endurance.
- Be a good friend. Pay attention to friends and be ready to make sacrifices. Never hold a grudge, and ignore small incidents. Live with others in harmony. Don't be selfish, think about other people's interests too.
- Character and action are interrelated. Great habits make great character.
