Determining the good qualities in a person is usually pretty easy.
When you think of someone who constantly inspires you or brings a lot of joy to your life, what are they like?
Are they kind, funny, open, compassionate?
Chances are the good qualities in a person that you are attracted to are, in some ways, aspirational.
You likely see these qualities and are compelled to achieve the same good traits.
Good qualities are, well good, but what makes a person great?
People think of goodness as how they treat others, while greatness is considered to be a more self-centered ambition.
However, by being great you can be better for those around you and inspire people to seek out the greatness within themselves, as well.
Demonstrating strength, kindness and leadership inspires and provokes others to strive to possess those same qualities.
So, what is the difference between good and great, and how can you elevate yourself to become a great person?
I am here to help you start your journey to this!
Read on to learn more about the 7 things that can help you become great.
Good Qualities In A Person: 7 Things To Work On
Be open to change
Change is inevitable, but in order to become a great person, you have to be willing to change and demonstrate that you are open to evolution.
When you think about the good qualities in a person you know, chances are one of those qualities is that they are laid-back – they go with the flow.
To elevate that relaxed nature to a level of greatness, you have to go one step further.
Rather than passively accepting change, you have to embrace it fully.
If you fight against change, you will never grow or evolve, which will make others view you as stunted.
If change makes you nervous, Who Moved My Cheese? is a short, classic read that makes the whole idea of adapting feel much less scary.
Leave the excuses at the door
When things go wrong, it can be easy to make excuses or feel the need to place blame.
This is especially true when you fail to achieve something, or you underdeliver.
This toxic reaction can actually cause you more harm than good.
For example, say you are at work and you are underprepared for a meeting with your boss.
When he confronts you, do you think he will have more respect for you if you tell him all of the reasons why you weren’t ready, or is it better to take accountability for lack of preparation and discuss how you plan on improving for your next meeting?
When you take ownership of your actions, it shows others that they can trust you, that you are authentic, and most importantly it encourages you to improve.
Let go of your anger
One good quality in a person is when someone can release their anger.
When you hold on to anger it not only controls you, but it alters your ability to make good decisions.
People who demonstrate greatness usually have a good handle on their anger.
There is nothing wrong with feeling an emotional response to a situation, however, you must assess your emotions before acting on them.
Anger is an emotion that usually attracts negativity and even further worsens a situation.
Be a role model
Role models do not have to be shining examples of perfection that never mess up or lose face.
Being a good role model is more about being authentic, honest, and conducting yourself with respect.
Think about the people you look up to, chances are that you probably think that they are pretty great.
In order for you to become a better person, you need to show the same type of leadership through self-respect and by respecting others.
Great role models don’t have to necessarily be successful or rich, but they do need to be respectful and humble.
Show forgiveness
Holding on to anger and negative emotions traps you and adversely impacts your life much more than the person or thing that you are angry about.
F
orgiving someone is very difficult to do, but people are prone to making mistakes and you will likely have to seek someone else’s forgiveness at some point or another in your life.
So, keep that in mind when holding a grudge seems gratifying – it will only hold you back and make you seem petty.
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz is a well-loved little book that offers a gentle way to stop taking things personally and let grudges go.
Less talking, more listening
Many people are under the false impression that the loudest person in the room is the one in control, quite the contrary.
When you show that you are listening to people and you take note of the things that are important to them, it shows them that you have respect for them.
Which in turn makes them want to respect you.
Even better, when you listen you learn.
For more on this, How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie is a timeless classic about the power of truly listening.
Do the things that scare you the most
When you keep an open mind and try the thing that you wouldn’t normally do, you are challenging yourself to become a person of greatness. The ‘New Me’ personality challenge is the most interesting and fun challenge I’ve tried.
Overpowering fear inspires others, but it also helps you to inspire yourself.
When you overcome challenges, you build your self-confidence and this radiates to those around you.
If you need a little push, Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers is a best-selling book that makes stepping out of your comfort zone feel doable.
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These are some of the good qualities in a person that you can work on to become a little bit better, a little more honest, and a little more gentle with yourself and others… Try doing some of these things in your life – not only will they help you to evolve into something you want to be, but it will also raise you in the eyes of others.
