Brandon Gilliland

This is a guest post by Joseph Lalonde. He is a youth leader and leadership blogger at JMLalonde.com. Joseph shares leadership tools and encourages you to become a better leader. Follow him on Twitter or subscribe to his blog.

Can you think of someone who you remember as being honorable? As being a fine individual? And upstanding citizen?

Quite a few individuals are probably popping into your mind.

Image by Andrew Nash via Creative Commons

Your parents. Your preacher. A favorite teacher. A loving friend.

It’s their character that you respect. That you hope to one day be like.

I’ve got great news for you. Your character isn’t something you were born with. It’s something that you cultivate and craft.

You can become a man, or woman, of great character.

How?

• Learn how to follow through: When you follow through, you build character. It shows you can make a decision and see it to completion. You’re not one to leave something half-done. Begin today working on following through with what you’ve committed to.

• Look out for the needy: Look out and care for those that are less fortunate than you. Help them when you can. People with great character know it’s not all about their own interests. Search for the needs that you can fill today and fill at least one. Your character is developing.

• Find a cause: What are you standing up for? Examine your life and find out what you’ve been passionate about. Is it a certain segment of the population? Bullied children? Neglected families? Take the step and offer your help.

• Do what’s right: Always examine the choices before you. There will be good choices and bad choices. Ignore the bad ones and start choosing to do what’s right. Isn’t this why you felt those you thought of had great character? They did what was right and had no apologies about it. If it’s difficult to do good, find something small to start with. Build up and soon you’ll be doing more and more things right.

As you start to apply these steps to your life, you’ll discover your character improving. Soon you’ll be seen as someone with impeccable character.

People will see you as reliable. Someone they can count on. Someone who helps others.

Isn’t that how you would love to be remembered?

“Character isn’t something you were born with and can’t change, like your fingerprints. It’s something you weren’t born with and must take responsibility for forming.”
–Jim Rohn

Question: How are you changing your character? Please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Enjoyed what you read? You can find more by Joseph Lalonde at his blog. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss a leadership insight!