Personality Ethic-VS-Character Ethic

Hey there my fellow Masterminds, 

I have been doing my shadow work & seeking out the deficits in my character in hopes of bettering myself for the tasks I am now aware are my responsibility. I discovered that it is nice that I envision myself as a wise individual who has the respect of people to the point my knowledge shared is the catalyst to spark a dialogue or inspire a thought that wasn't there before. I also saw that my communication or messaging can come across as judgmental, perfectionist, or even contradictory (which I definitely do not believe anyone should be because we should be true to ourselves at bare minimum). 

I acknowledge that certain facets of my personality may not be well received from a social standpoint but certainly I know is my character is something I take pride in ensuring it is a good representation of who I am. Character can still be taken out of context but I refuse to surrender my power to maintain my integrity & principles. I have even been gravely insulted when someone even made an insinuation that I would do something that I feel to the core I wouldn't have the heart to do.  

___________________________________________________________________________________

A few components that shape one's personality --also known as the Big 5--are extraversion (opposite of "anti-social),  openness (opposite of close-minded), conscientiousness (opposite of carelessness), Agreeableness (opposite of unwillingness), & neuroticism (not sure if there's an opposite but its how one expresses negative emotions). 

My personal opinion about personality has been shaped partially by encountering master manipulators, narcissists, & people who are uncertain of who they truly are. I believe that one can change their personality to fit their agenda.  People can 'put on' whichever type of personality they need at a particular time. Some individuals are better actors/actresses than others, but ultimately the façade is revealed.  

Character is something that takes time to shape & build. Although I believe it can also be changed (when an individual makes a conscious decision to do so), this is more of a permanence because of the perpetually repetitive ways we have as humans in thoughts, words, & deeds. That's why I say it requires an actual decision to change it because character is shaped by what you do over & over that eventually becomes habit. 

___________________________________________________________________________________

I have had the privilege to learn more about professional opinions of Personality & Character from Stephen Covey & Erich Fromm literature.  

Covey mentions in his book '7 Habits of Highly Effective People' that a person's paradigms are what dictate someone's personality because the paradigms shape one's attitudes & behaviors. |||||SIDE NOTE|||| Mr. Bob Proctor is one of the legendary teachers of the century (as well as author) & he  ascended beyond this Earth plane earlier in the month. I strongly recommend you-tubing his teaching of paradigms. He is responsible for my own paradigm shift & I am so gracious for his wisdom shared as he's positively impacted (and will continue to do so) so many people's lives & way of thinking||||||| If one is able to grow awareness & attention to the held paradigms, the likelihood of shifting, examining & testing them against what is relevant PRESENT DAY them is greater attainable. If a person's running of expired paradigms, their personality is going to reflect that. Character--on the other hand--is something that must be reflected from the inside out. Principles are the building blocks of character but not everyone has the same principals. For instance, thieves don't tell on one another because that's law. They share the same principle but what does that character suggest? The 'Friend Code' is another example in which one doesn't allow another person to gossip about a friend even though the friend is not around to hear it. Certain principles add up to one's conglomerate of character. Our principles are done from habits & habits build character. 

Fromm's idea of personality & character is difficult to change & that character is built from our upbringing & life experiences. He also mentions 5 personality types but only one of them are productive. Here they are along with description:

• Receptive: Need to receive recognition, support, & other items from others. They generally do not reciprocate the various types of support in which they seek out from others. May be indecisive.
• Explorative: Willing to manipulate or lie to get what they need. They form relationships solely to get what they need. They are opportunists. This is the most common type of personality type.
• Hoarding: Material possessions are very important & they always crave more of material things with little consideration for others. 
• Marketing: They are often found in the workplace. They change belief systems/values depending on what is needed to get them their goals. They seek relationships with personal gain in mind. 
• **Productive: They are loving & nurturing; they seek out opportunities with others to share this with. They channel negativity (in any sort) to productivity (in any sort). 

So after reading this, what are your thoughts on which one is more important to build up--personality or character? Which one do you believe is strongest for you & how is that benefitting you in your current way of life? Do you feel it is congruent with your TRUE SELF? I invite you to reflect. 

If you've made it this far, I greatly thank YOU for reading. Here's a video I believe you should see please watch These mini-computers in our pockets are convenient but not faultless. Here's the link to the medallion

Peace to you always. 

<3