What is personality? What is character? These are concepts that people often confuse with one another. But there are some key differences (personality vs character) between the two of them, and understanding those differences can help you grow as a person. In this article, we will explore what these terms mean for your growth as an individual.
Contents
What Is Personality?
Personality is the set of characteristics that make you unique. It’s the collection of your habits, preferences, and tendencies. Your personality is what makes you who you are.
It’s important to note that personality is not fixed. You may have certain personality traits that are consistent across different situations. But you can also change your personality over time. Your personality is more like a spectrum, with different points along the way that represent your different tendencies and preferences.
Types Of Personality
There are two main types of personality: extroverted and introverted.
- An extrovert is someone who derives energy from being around other people or having exciting experiences.
- Meanwhile, an introvert tends to derive their energy away from social settings.
People also tend to fall into one of 16 personality types, based on the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). The MBTI is a questionnaire designed by Katharine Cook Briggs and her daughter Isabel Briggs Myers. It’s meant to help determine your preferences in key areas:
- How you take in information, whether you focus on the world around you or yourself,
- Whether you prefer to make decisions based on reason and logic or feelings and subjective values, and
- How you deal with your life in general
What Is Character?
Character, on the other hand, is what you do when no one is watching. It’s your moral compass, and it reflects your values and principles. Character is what you choose to do when you are alone with yourself, and it reflects your integrity.
Types Of Character
There are three main types of character: inner virtues (honesty), outer virtues (responsibility), and vices (selfishness). Your character is based on the combination of these three types.
- Inner virtues are qualities that you have inside of you, such as honesty and integrity.
- Outer virtues are qualities that you display to the world, such as responsibility and accountability.
- Vices are negative qualities that often lead to unethical behavior, such as selfishness and greed.
Understanding The Difference
What’s The Key Difference Between Personality And Character?
The key difference between personality and character is that personality reflects your tendencies, while character reflects what you do.
- Personality is more of a spectrum, with different levels of influence in different situations.
- Character is based on the choices that we make when no one else will know about them or see us for who we are.
How Do Personality And Character Impact Our Lives?
Your personality impacts your life because it affects the way you see the world and how other people see you. Your character impacts your life because it reflects who you are when no one else is looking.
As you grow as an individual, it’s important to focus on both your character and personality. The key difference between the two is that while your character helps define who you are, your personality helps determine how other people see you.
What’s The Relationship Between Personality And Character?
They are closely related because they both impact your life, but personality is more personal and character is more moral. Your personality reflects how you see the world, while your character reflects what you do with that knowledge.
Understanding Their Role In Self
Role Of Personality In Self
Personality is what you like and how others see you. It’s made up of traits, preferences, expressions, and behaviors all combined into one word: personality. People with a strong personality tend to be more outgoing and outspoken, while those who have weaker personalities may keep their opinions or feelings quiet. Someone’s personality is what they like or doesn’t like about themselves, so it will influence the words they use when describing other people’s qualities.
Role Of Character In Self
The character represents your moral standards or principles that guide the way you treat yourself and other people. It reflects who you are when no one else is watching. Someone’s character is their moral compass, so it will influence the way they treat other people. Someone with a strong sense of character may be more fair and honest in their dealings with others than someone who lacks good principles and values. Their words and actions reflect this strong moral code or principle.
Can They Be Different?
Yes, they can be different because your personality reflects your preferences, tendencies, and behaviors. Your character is based on who you are when no one else is looking or watching so it can be different sometimes. It’s why there are some people with good personalities but poor characters while others have strong characters but weak personalities.
Which Is More Close To Self?
Your personality is more close to who you are. It’s the external expression of your inner self. Your character, on the other hand, is based on your values and principles. It’s what you do when no one is watching.
So while your personality may change over time, your character is more like a constant. It’s your moral compass, and it reflects who you are when no one else is around to see you.
Why Is Character More Close To Self And Personality Related To Other People?
Your personality is based on your preferences and tendencies, while your character reflects your moral compass. This is why personality is more related to how you see the world, and character is more close to self.
Can They Be At Conflict Sometimes?
Yes, your personality and character can sometimes conflict. For example, you may have a strong personality but a weak character. This would mean that you are very outspoken and aggressive, but you don’t always stand up for your values or principles. Or you may have good character but a weaker personality. This would mean that you’re very principled and honest, but you don’t always take into account other people’s feelings.
Which Is Malleable?
Your personality can change over time or in different situations. Your character tends to stay the same regardless of changing external factors. If you have good character, then you have a good character all the time.
Expert View On Personality And Character
Dr. Travis Bradberry, Co-founder of TalentSmart and author of Emotional Intelligence 20/20, says that “personality is what we put on display for others to see, while the character is who we are.”
“Your personality type indicates a natural way of approaching life, while your character reveals what you do with that approach.” – Katherine Firth
“You cannot change your personality, but you can change your character.” – Dr. Phil McGraw
“Your character is what you do when no one else is looking.” – H. Jackson Brown Jr.
NOTE: One way to think about it is that personality is what makes you unique, while character is what makes you who you are.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it’s important to understand the difference between personality and character because they both have a significant impact on your life. Personality reflects how you see the world, while character reflects what you do with that knowledge.
Your personality can change over time, but your character is more like a constant. It’s your moral compass and it reflects who you are when no one else is around to see you. So if you want to know who you are as a person, it’s important to understand both your personality and character.
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