Tracking your character development
A gift for your continued support
To close the door on my Cultivating Character writings, I wanted to leave you with something that opens the door to sustained character development. So, as a thanks for following the series, I’ll be sharing a simple tracker (shown above, you can find the blank at the end of this post) that I’ve been using to record behavior corresponding to each of the virtues elaborated on throughout this series: Courage, Love and Kindness, Justice, Temperance, Knowledge and Wisdom, and Transcendence.
Fortunately, since these virtues are consilient—that is, are shared among the world’s traditions, religions, and philosophies—there likely already exist character-enhancing practices in whatever culture and faith you identify with. If you need any other inspiration for practices, however, you can check out the how-to posts I put together at the end of the series.
If your current way of being or the cultural movement(s) you identify with are deficient in any of these virtues—which this tracker will help reveal—it may be worth reconsidering their value and reorganizing your life accordingly. Does your way of being encourage overindulgence? Temperance is lacking. Does it encourage materialistic self-absorption? Transcendence is lacking. Does it encourage idleness? Courage is lacking.
Richness lies not in how many riches you obtain or social rungs you climb. Instead, it lies in quality of connection with the people around you (Love and Kindness, Justice). It lies in understanding the world you inhabit (Knowledge and Wisdom) and appreciating its limitless wonder and beauty (Transcendence). It lies in having the confidence to overcome whatever comes your way (Courage). It lies in giving your future, and all those who will be a part of it, a voice (Temperance).
Each day, try to open yourself to something larger than you (Transcendence); do something difficult (Courage); support someone close (Love and Kindness); support someone not-so-close (Justice); resist excessive indulgence, hatred, and pride (Temperance); and learn something new (Knowledge and Wisdom).
Keep track with this sheet. I suggest printing it out and sticking it on the fridge, or filling it out digitally on a computer or tablet. Share it with a friend and do it together so that you hold each other accountable. At the end of each month, take a bird’s-eye view to see what’s going well and what virtue needs some more checkmarks.
Thank you for your continued support. Expect to see something about energy, entropy, and life in the next few weeks. Until then, enjoy your summer.
