Personality traits are an important aspect of who we are as individuals. They can shape our relationships and influence our interactions with the world, making them a fundamental part of understanding ourselves. Here, we will examine 35 characteristics and personality traits that can help give us a greater insight into our own personalities and those of others. Through understanding these traits, we can begin to better understand our behavior, our relationships, and the people around us. We will discuss what these traits are, how they are expressed, and how to recognize them in yourself and others. By examining these traits, we can become more aware of how we interact with the world, learn how to better manage relationships, and become aware of our own personalities.
The Big Five Personality Traits
31 Good Character Traits Everyone Should Develop
Everyone should work on fostering the important character trait of being someone who can act morally even when no one else is present. Some people have it naturally, while others may need to put in more effort.
And just to be clear, there is nothing wrong with having to put in more effort to acquire certain qualities. Theres no shame in striving to be a better person. The only shame is not doing so.
People can trust you if you’re a good person with integrity, and that’s a very potent statement to make about yourself.
Honesty is along the same line as integrity. Some may even see them as interchangeable terms. But rather than just acting, I view honesty through the lens of expression.
In our society, the capacity for honest expression is a quality that is greatly undervalued. It’s simple to follow the crowd and refrain from speaking your mind. Being truthful can occasionally be uncomfortable and cause conflict.
But you can find ways to be honest without alienating others by fusing other qualities like empathy, humility, and self-discipline.
Being a man or woman of one’s word is a valuable asset in everyone’s life. They know they can rely on you if you say you’ll be there if a friend calls at three in the morning to pick them up.
Even though this quality can be extremely irksome at times, it serves as a gauge of how much you value the person you are promising things to.
Honesty, integrity, empathy, and a host of other qualities are all related to loyalty. Being someone who has someone else’s back is one of the quickest ways to win someone over.
Owning up to your mistakes or accepting responsibility is a quality that is very challenging to acquire. That’s because our minds are constantly coming up with justifications for our shortcomings, sometimes very good ones.
It’s challenging to be the kind of person for whom “the buck stops.” It is not always a quality that will bring you praise. But, it will build a stronger overall character.
On the heels of responsibility comes the pursuit of excellence. It is difficult to envision pursuing excellence without feeling accountable for everything you say and do.
And to pursue excellence, you don’t have to be a visionary like Steve Jobs or Bill Gates. Anyone can achieve this trait doing any line of work. Doing everything you set out to do while putting forth your best effort is what matters.
In today’s cynical society, cultivating empathy can be challenging. On social media, people criticize others far too frequently. Kindness has declined in popularity while cynicism has become more common.
Being empathetic means trying to understand the viewpoint of the other person. It means being more than just a “shoulder to cry on” and genuinely interested in where the other person is coming from.
Treat Everyone with Respect
Empathy is very similar to respecting everyone you meet, regardless of their situation in life. However, it doesn’t always entail having a heart-to-heart with someone; instead, it just means treating them with the utmost respect as a fellow human being.
Why is it Important to Possess Good Character Traits
A person can have almost limitless combinations of traits. But, these traits are not set in stone. They are aspirations. While some can come naturally, others require a lot of effort. It’s important to have good character traits, but the key is to consistently strive to be better rather than living up to each one.
After all, we are human beings. The pursuit of becoming a better version of yourself is largely based in the practice of mindfulness. For example, if you find a wallet on the ground and your first thought is how its your “lucky day,” thats not exactly living up to the ideals of “honesty” you might consciously be working on.
However, putting aside that initial response and acting morally regardless is a demonstration of several other qualities working to alter your behavior at that precise moment, including integrity, self-control, and responsibility, to name a few.
The most important reason to develop positive personality traits is not to achieve mastery of these traits, but rather to actively pursue mastery. Even falling short can teach us something valuable.
FAQ
Can you change your personality at 35?
According to researchers who looked at 132,515 adults aged 21 to 60 on the “Big Five” personality traits of conscientiousness, agreeableness, neuroticism, openness, and extraversion, people’s personalities can change after the age of 30.
What are the Big 5 personality traits in adulthood?
The Big Five personality traits are neuroticism, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, and extraversion (also frequently spelled as extroversion). Each trait represents a continuum.
What are 5 characteristics of a person?
Extraversion (also known as extroversion), agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness, and neuroticism are the five main personality traits.
What are the 4 main personality traits?
According to Buckingham (2002), there are four temperaments: sanguine (optimistic, social, and related to the element of air), melancholic (analytical, quiet, earth), choleric (short-tempered, irritable, fire), and phlegmatic (relaxed, peaceful, water).
