Written by: Henrik Pettersson, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
During my lifetime, I have devoted myself to the struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have stuck to the idea of a democratic and free society where everyone can live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal that I hope to live for and achieve. An ideal I am prepared to die for.
Nelson Mandela had been the leader for the ANC's armed forces and the initiator of sabotage against military and state targets – and guerrilla warfare to end apartheid. He was arrested in August 1962 and sentenced to life in prison. During the trial, he explained that the ANC used peaceful means until the massacre at Sharpeville, which made it clear to him that the only way to crush apartheid was violence.
The rest is history.
Before being elected South Africa's first-ever black president, he had spent 27 years in prison on Robben Island. While in the cell, he had a piece of paper that he looked at several times a day, a quote from William Ernest Henley: "I am master of my own destiny, and captain of my soul."
A mantra that became the basis of his unending character.
Strong characters never expect easy journeys. They see the dark moments as building blocks for inner strength, to be able to turn adversity into success with self-leadership and confidence in their abilities.
What, then, distinguishes a strong character from a weaker one? In my experience, it is, above all, perseverance, the ability to take action, resist disappointment and adversity.
1. That you refuse to let failures pull you down. Five years from now, the storm is nothing but a surge in a glass;
2. That you would rather listen to your own dreams than the negative opinions of others;
3. That you continue to move forward step by step, with both heart and brain as your guide.
A strong character is based on the above but is also based on three pairs of characteristics.
Honesty and Reliability.
Integrity and Self-Confidence.
Perseverance and Discipline.
Firstly, be as honest with yourself as with others. Do not lie. Not even for yourself. See the truth as it is. Then people trust you.
Second, show integrity. Do what you say you should do, and when you say, you should do it. It is a clear connection between words and deeds. Then you build self-confidence.
Endurance. Strong characters are not formed in a couple of weeks, months, or even years. These are small steps that apply according to your big plan to build the strongest possible character, with discipline as your best friend.
Very few, however, work to develop their character purposefully. Instead of building a strong backbone around their most important character traits, they bring up a shield as protection. A jerry-building that makes them vulnerable, when instead, they should settle with themselves and answering the question;
Who am I?
What qualities characterize me?
What behaviors do I identify with?
What motivates me?
What makes me proud?
What are my goals?
Questions that were constantly worked on during antiquity when "know yourself" was a central concept in leadership education.
A sentence that was the prerequisite for success, then as now.
Now to the scouting that has occupied a justifiable part of my time over the past decade. And where I listed seven things that I think characterize strong characters;
1. The path to success is through principles.
Principles do not change. They hold the line all the way—every day of the week. Your words and your actions are one and the same. A person with character lives for his principles, not for popularity. Politicians have challenges here when the popularity goes down, and they start negotiating with their principles.
Power corrupts, it is said, but it is not about that. It is not the power itself that corrupts. It is the lack of character.
Some people hire image consultants, but if you know who you are, why do you need an image consultant? Politicians, executives, and celebrities who hire image consultants, why? Probably because they haven’t found out who they are.
2. Character is a set of standards.
Many try to live on their charisma, their gifts, their talent. It is a short-term strategy.
Your talent will never protect you in the long run. The only thing that can lead you forward in the long run is your character.
There is no excuse to lower your standards. Your future depends on your character, not your charisma.
3. For a person with a strong character, words and deeds are the same thing.
A person without character says one thing and does something completely different. It’s a person with several “faces,” which is the definition of a hypocrite.
Having nice clothes, driving nice cars, or wearing an expensive watch, does not determine whether we should give the person our trust. Do not be seduced by charisma; instead, follow people with character.
The character only reveals itself when it is seen. And there are mainly three things that test it.
Power. Money. And sex. Temptations that risk ruining a trust that takes years to build, seconds to lose, and an eternity to regain.
Avoid becoming a piece on the chessboard. Move the temptations before they move you.
4. They never feel fully educated.
They block out time for developing their skills every week. Rafael Badziag's book "The million-dollar secret" summarizes the habits of 20 billionaires and what took them there. As I said, they set aside time each week to study their respective areas and constantly sharpen their skills while at the same time having plans for their development. And how they should be able to pursue their strategy.
5. They plan. They have a strategy.
Like the 20 billionaires in Rafael Badziag's book “The Million Dollar Secret, they get up early to plan the major steps they´ll take and prioritize the most difficult things first. They have understood that no one is really in a hurry. That successful projects are a matter of priorities. And always puts long-term strategy before short-term tactics.
6. They never give up.
The ability to come back after adversity and defeat with experience in the baggage characterizes people with strong character. They focus on the light in times of darkness.
Aung San Suu Kyi was under house arrest in Burma for over eleven years and continued to fight for freedom. Nelson Mandela continued the fight against apartheid during and after 27 years in prison.
7. They have good self-confidence.
Which they are constantly building on. Everything from body language, attitude, smile, and eye contact to prioritize and focus on what’s important and visualize the project's successful implementation.
Strong self-confidence increases the ability to take risks, set higher goals and become more successful. Poor self-confidence has the handbrake on—a good push on the turbo.
The path to self-confidence goes by letting the words be followed by action – just do it! Do not give in to laziness, difficulties, or fears. Test your abilities, preferably every day.
Passive people are rarely tested - active people are constantly tested. They accept that the risk of failure is just around the corner. They do not give up in the first place.
In September 2013, 64-year-old Diana Nyad became the first in the world to swim from Cuba to Florida. A distance of almost 180 km, and without a shark cage around her. She had previously made four attempts but had to give up. But the superwoman did not give up until she had done what she set out to do.
And turned failure into success by her unstoppable character.
A term that comes from the ancient Greek character, which means "engraved." Which ask the question: how do you really engrave your strongest qualities, which hold in all weathers?
Do you want to sharpen your character?
Then you not only need to find out where you stand, and you should also know where you are going.
For that reason, with the help of the rhetorician Stefan Hedlund, I have built a character matrix that helps you shape your character with the mainline, your main trait at the top.
Download the character matrix and engrave the picture of who you are today and at the same time as you draw the vision of the person you want to be in the future.
Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and subscribe to my Youtube channel!
Henrik Pettersson, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Since 2004, Henrik has been working as a coach, educator, and motivational speaker around Europe. Life is about growth. The challenge to growth is to gain boldness to handle our fears and vulnerability. To strengthen your spine - to be able to manage your challenges towards stronger results. Life’s tough at times, and the formula for gaining more boldness, and dig deep into, is: Faith – Energy – Focus. His new book is built on the three pillars above and is called: program yourself to success. Henrik is frequently hired by large companies like Volvo, H&M, and Avis.
