“Character is revealed by action, action is motivated by character.”

– Norton Wright

Image from www.glogster.com

There is an organization called the Josephson Institute that teaches “Six Pillars of Character” in its youth educational programs. These pillars are:

1. Trustworthiness – i.e. being honest, being reliable, doing what you say you’ll do.
2. Respect – i.e. following the Golden Rule.
3. Responsibility – i.e. being accountable, doing your best, setting a good example.
4. Fairness – i.e. playing by the rules, being open-minded, taking turns, sharing.
5. Caring – i.e. being kind, compassionate, forgiving, and showing gratitude.
6. Citizenship – which includes getting involved in your communities to make them better, protecting the environment, and volunteering.

Exercise:

How will you be motivated by and act consistently with these six pillars above?

How can you coach, mentor and support those around you – especially children – to develop these qualities through your example?

As a bonus, please consider replying to me with other qualities beyond these six pillars that you believe are attributes of people of character.