Is character a talent?

I’ve been a character all of my life! No! WAIT! I meant to say that I’ve been developing my character all of my life. Yeah. That’s better! Those who know me may agree with my first assertion. And even question the second. I’ve been helping myself and others develop their character for decades. I’ve even done so professionally. Developing our character is not easy, or at least what may be considered good character.

 

    I looked up the word, character, in the dictionary. Okay, dictionary.com. I’m too cool to look it up in a book. I used my iPad. Here’s how character is defined: the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual. By definition, we ALL have character. Of some kind. 

 

    I also looked up the word, talent. It’s defined as “natural aptitude or skill.” We, too, ALL have some aptitude or skill. Hence, my contemplation of the question, “Is character a talent?” Since these are MY thoughts, I’m going to agree that character, in a way, by definition, and by Socratic method, IS, or at least, can be, considered a talent.

 

    “So what?!” you ask. Well, when we consider a skill or virtue a talent, we may be better able to hone it, to develop it. Let’s say you have a talent for solving mathematical problems. NOT I! I don’t even handle our family budget. One plus one is equal to three or more, in my perspective. If math is your talent, you can probably find various opportunities to improve it, and to develop it. It’s the same with having a talent for singing (Which I DO NOT have!), for writing (I have a dozen books on amazon, by the way.), for dancing, and many other things you may be good at without having to work at it much.

 

    So, let’s say that character IS a talent, and we ALL have both, and we want to develop our character as a talent, maybe we can find or create ways to help people, including ourselves, empower themselves to fulfill that talent. Wouldn’t the world be a better place if we all subscribed and committed to that? As Dr John C Maxwell says, “Talent is a gift, but character is a choice.” Once we choose to hone our character, there’s little stopping us, except ourselves, of course.

 

    Character, in my humble opinion, is the aggregate of one’s thoughts, emotions, language, and behavior manifested in one’s attitude, feeling, communication, and actions in a given moment. Its practices become our identity as observed internally and externally. 

 

    I challenge you to hone that talent today. I think I know how, or at least the areas to work in to do so, as you would any other talent. I’ll share those thoughts soon.

    Until next time,

    Be GREAT! You ARE!

    HEIRPOWER!

    bob vásquez!