{"id":20882,"date":"2020-12-14T20:54:01","date_gmt":"2020-12-15T00:54:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=20882"},"modified":"2020-12-19T17:42:55","modified_gmt":"2020-12-19T21:42:55","slug":"build-your-character","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/build-your-character\/","title":{"rendered":"Build Your Character And Avoid Being Toxic"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Do you want to know <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-develop-character\/\">how to build your character<\/a>? Why is shaping your character so important? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It takes time to build character. But shaping your character is important since it lets you address your weaknesses, and create new and better behaviors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep reading to find out how to build your character and why it matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Control Your Own Nature: Build Your Character<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You can\u2019t change your character\u2014no one can\u2014but <strong>you <\/strong><strong><em>can <\/em><\/strong><strong>learn how your character determines your negative behavior, and then use this knowledge to transform weaknesses into strength and create new behavior patterns.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To start assessing your character:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>Reflect on the specifics of each of your four layers of character (genetics, upbringing, habits, and masks).<\/li><li>Assess your own character by studying your behavior using the same techniques you use to study others\u2019.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you have a better sense of what your character is like, use the following strategies to improve it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Strategy #1: Notice when you start acting according to patterns. <\/strong>You can\u2019t consciously <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-change-your-behavior\/\">change your behavior<\/a> until you\u2019re aware of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Strategy #2: Create new habits.<\/strong> You can rewire your neurons and patterns by choosing to repeat behaviors that you want to have in your character. You might start with tolerance, resilience, or teamwork.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>For example, if you panic in stressful situations, put yourself in these situations to get used to them so you won&#8217;t react so instinctively.&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Strategy #3: Point your character in a positive direction. <\/strong>You\u2019ve learned skills by repeating behaviors, and these skills can transfer to new behaviors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>For example, if you\u2019re a pleaser, you can use your social skills to gain power rather than defend yourself.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Strategy #4: Spend time with people who do have a strong character<\/strong> so their influence will rub off on you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It takes effort to maintain the strong parts of our character\u2014empathy, generosity, resilience\u2014because being decent to others can lead them to take advantage of us. On the other hand, <strong>it takes no effort to maintain weak parts of our character.<\/strong> If we don\u2019t make a conscious effort to strengthen our characters, over time, the weaker parts will win out and determine our behavior.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Do you want to know how to build your character? Why is shaping your character so important? It takes time to build character. But shaping your character is important since it lets you address your weaknesses, and create new and better behaviors. Keep reading to find out how to build your character and why it matters.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":20891,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21,43],"tags":[167],"class_list":["post-20882","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-philosophy","category-self-improvement","tag-the-laws-of-human-nature","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v24.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Build Your Character And Avoid Being Toxic - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Why should you build your character? When you shape your character, you can address your weaknesses, and turn them into strengths.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/build-your-character\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Build Your Character And Avoid Being Toxic\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Why should you build your character? 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