When we see men of a contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.
- Confucius


Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles.
- Confucius


If a man withdraws his mind from the love of beauty, and applies it as sincerely to the love of the virtuous; if, in serving his parents, he can exert his utmost strength; if, in serving his prince, he can devote his life; if in his intercourse with his friends, his words are sincere - although men say that he has not learned, I will certainly say that he has.
- Confucius


The man who in view of gain thinks of righteousness; who in the view of danger is prepared to give up his life; and who does not forget an old agreement however far back it extends - such a man may be reckoned a complete man.
- Confucius


The scholar who cherishes the love of comfort is not fit to be deemed a scholar.
- Confucius


The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress.
- Confucius


The superior man...does not set his mind either for anything, or against anything; what is right he will follow.
- Confucius


There are three things which the superior man guards against. In youth...lust. When he is strong...quarrelsomeness. When he is old...covetousness.
- Confucius


What the superior man seeks is in himself. What the mean man seeks is in others.
- Confucius


What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.
- Confucius


Without an acquaintance with the rules of propriety, it is impossible for the character to be established.
- Confucius


(The superior man) acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his actions.
- Confucius


All mankind is divided into three classes: those that are immovable, those that are movable, and those that move.
- Ben Franklin


A man is but the product of his thoughts what he thinks, he becomes.
- Mahatma Gandhi


Action expresses priorities.
- Mahatma Gandhi


It is better to be violent, if there is violence in our hearts, than to put on the cloak of nonviolence to cover impotence.
- Mahatma Gandhi


The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world's problem.
- Mahatma Gandhi


The real ornament of woman is her character, her purity.
- Mahatma Gandhi


I discourage a cult of personality.
- Newt Gingrich


Before I would hurt a child, I would slit my wrists.
- Michael Jackson


Do you want to know who you are? Don't ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.
- Thomas Jefferson


Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.
- Abraham Lincoln


Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.
- Abraham Lincoln


You can tell a lot about a fellow's character by his way of eating jellybeans.
- Ronald Reagan


A man's character may be learned from the adjectives which he habitually uses in conversation.
- Mark Twain


I hope I shall possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man.
- George Washington